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Letters

Reconfiguring acute hospitals in England

BMJ 2006; 333 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39058.720150.3A (Published 14 December 2006) Cite this as: BMJ 2006;333:1271

Rapid Response:

Re: hospital services in Hexham

Editor

I am grateful to Dr. Pledger for his reply.

My hope for Hexham is that it might share the resources available,
not be the sole or even major resource for the county. Where is the virtue
in having one desperately busy site and one running at below capacity? Two
running at best speed must be an improvement. Tynedale may have 60,000
inhabitants but the neighbouring areas need not be excluded from using
Hexham and could do so to their advantage and, for some services, already
do.

My fellow peasants and I who dwell in the west of the county look
with envy at the ostentatious wealth of Morpeth and are compelled to
continuously tug our forelocks when shuffling through its streets. For
decades there has been an inequity in the provision of money and other
resources between the two sides of the county. A situation that remains
unaddressed.

Steven Ford

Competing interests:
I work near Hexham

Competing interests: No competing interests

24 December 2006
Steven Ford
GP
Haydon & Allen Valleys Medical Practice. NE47 6LA