Save our services

If they do not decide to save the services, then I am afraid apart from damaging the healthcare of the people in the Stevenage and North Herts areas it will have an adverse affect on the growth of all our local areas.

While most of us are well aware that it is not possible to have a major hospital in every town, I for one would not want to live too far from any emergency A&E or any form of hospital services. What is the point of the proposed building of 3,000 houses to the west of Stevenage if we have no hospital capable of dealing with or treating a new influx of people that may need its various areas of healthcare?

While I feel for the concerns of those who live in the Welwyn and Hatfield area regarding the QEII, I feel that the Lister has the edge simply because it is near a main motorway and has easier access to and from our local towns. While there are many comments made about the Lister good or bad over the years, I believe that we have a wonderful hospital with the staff who go with it. We cannot afford to lose. It should be there for our future generations who may need it, and fight for it we will.

NAME AND ADDRESS WITHHELD

* The idea of changing the Lister and the QEII hospitals is ridiculous. They both serve useful purposes where they are.

To move different units to one or other of the hospitals would make visiting, whether for treatment or social visiting, more expensive and difficult. Not everyone has a car or access to one, public transport is expensive and not that good anyway. Then there is the problem of the A1(M) which can be completely or partially blocked by accidents which would mean ambulance journeys would take longer. I wonder how many babies would be born in ambulances or people with serious conditions who need rapid removal to hospital might die while stuck in a traffic jam. Big is not necessarily beautiful.

As a family we have had cause to be very grateful to the Lister Hospital and its wonderful staff who are its main strength. I have many friends who feel the same gratitude. I do not suppose any protests will make any difference with this daft government, but it will not be because we have not tried.

ALICE WAND, Bowershott, Letchworth Garden City

* In The Comet of December 21 you asked for views regarding Lister Hospital and the QEII. The distance between them is too far for ill or injured patients to travel, even without traffic congestion.

The NHS planners would need both practical and managerial knowledge. No service can be run properly without adequate staff and well maintained equipment.

In the 50s, there was a medical director, matron and secretary, also the supporting services were local. The hospital was busy and well run, the staff were happy with job satisfaction and high morale. When student nurses finished their training, they could usually find an occupation, now there are no posts available.

Personally I was very happy as a

sister in 1955 in the emergency department, but was quite relieved to retire in 1986. There must be changes, but patients should be the first priorities.

M AINSWORTH, Derby Way, Stevenage