REGARDING your article (LET, September 3) about the closure of Blackburn Infirmary in ten years' time, the message from the Government that the NHS is safe with them is a fallacy.

Park Lee Hospital is due to close in December,1997, with the loss of some 40 beds. Now, how many beds will be lost when the Infirmary closes? I do not believe it is possible to cram three hospitals into one.

Both the Infirmary and Park Lee are fine buildings and a lot of money has been spent on the Infirmary to bring it up to date. Doubtless, both these sites and the buildings will fall into the hands of the developers. There is a shortage of hospital beds and long waiting lists for surgery now. So why the stupidity of closing these institutions?

MR J SMITH, Leeds Close, Blackburn.

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