At a significant proportion of the many meetings which I have attended in connection with the NHS in Hillingdon during the past three years, a member of the audience has stated that he or she thought Mount Vernon Hospital was due to close. This is far from the truth.

Mount Vernon Hospital is secure and is developing. I was privileged to participate in a guided tour of the new Treatment Centre at Mount Vernon, which is due to open in a few weeks time.

I was very greatly impressed by the provision there for patients and visitors. Great care had been taken to ensure sterile conditions in the operating theatres.

The Treatment Centre will house all the out-patient clinics in the current out-patient building, such as the eye clinic, hearing aid department, neurology, ear, nose and throat, cardiology, orthopaedics, dermatology and many others.

The new Treatment Centre has four operating theatres which will carry out all elective surgery, both orthopaedic and general surgery.

These will include day cases and keyhole surgery on knees. In-patients will be treated in the splendid Trinity ward, which has 26 beds.

Trinity ward also has a day case unit. All other existing provision at Mount Vernon will remain.

The internationally famous cancer centre is on the Mount Vernon site. I assure you Mount Vernon is alive and well.

As very many people are aware, The Hillingdon Hospital Trust (which includes Mount Vernon) is about to apply for Foundation Trust status.

New members of the community are still being recruited. These members will be able to influence the future development of the trust.

No membership fees are required and members will be free to take as much or as little part as they please. They may attend meetings if they wish, but there is no requirement to do so.

Members will be kept in touch of progress by email or post. If you are 18 years of age or over please support your local hospitals.

It is a great opportunity to participate. Just phone the hospital on 01895 238282 for an application form.

Lastly, a word about the hospitals' voluntary car service, transporting people who would otherwise have great difficulty in attending out-patient appointments.

We now have all ten booking office sessions manned, but are still in need of more drivers. If you own a car and are fit and well, with some time to spare, why not join us?

Just ring the Voluntary Services Manager, Sammiah Aldridge, on 01895 279 856 during normal office hours.

MURIEL L. HOSKING,

Priory Close, Ruislip.