Are Tories scoring political points?

The Mid Yorkshire hospital Trust has always been hell bent on moving services to Pinderfields and Pontefract hospital but it has never had the guts to admit it. The sham of a consultation about proposed changes by the Trust aided by the Clinical Commissioning Groups has been exposed and the true extent of the cuts at Dewsbury District Hospital are being revealed.

Seventy eight per cent of North Kirklees people who responded to the consultation expressed concerns about the reconfiguration and 51 per cent of North Kirklees people disagreed with all aspects of the proposed change. Only one per cent of North Kirklees residents responded.

It is only through the dedication and determination of people such as Mike Wood MP, Coun Karen Rowling and local campaign groups that the true intentions have been revealed and the plans have been referred to the Secretary of State.

The referral to the Secretary of State says that ‘there is no doubt that one of the drivers for change was prompted by the Mid Yorkshire’s financial sustainability challenge’ and it is because of this and other concerns of the general public that the Conservatives have belatedly started questioning the proposals.

How reassured do you feel that this government and their local representatives are protecting our local hospital. It brings a whole new meaning to our lives in their hands!

Thank goodness for the dedication of local people to expose the hypocrisy and political point scoring by the Conservatives who cannot decide weather to toe the party line or listen to the real concerns of their constituents.

Social values and principles of equality and protecting the most vulnerable should be at the heart of any decisions made about public services. The National Health Service should reflect those values and not be tarnished to enable the Trust to balance the books.

CATHERINE PINDER

Muffit Lane

Gomersal