CHANCELLOR Gordon Brown promised the increase in National Insurance would pay for more doctors and nurses, and 40 new hospitals, to bring the ailing Health Service back up to scratch.

But where is the logic in spending millions building a new hospital and then knocking down the much-loved, well used, and still in good nick Blackburn Infirmary, which is to be closed in three years time?

It's no good saying that none of the money will be wasted when the Infirmary could be converted into a hospital specialising in, for instance, heart surgery, children's high dependence care, training and many more uses.

If people now have to be prepared to go to places such as Germany for treatment, I am sure that they would be happy to come to Blackburn for specialist treatment.

ROY DAVIES, Olive Lane, Darwen.