LIKE many local people, I have been concerned by the Liberal Democrats' reports about planned cuts to services provided by Kingston Hospital.
In their propaganda sheet, 'The Courier' (note this bears the banner 'Your free local newspaper' with no clarification of its Lib-Dem origins) the Liberal Democrats boast of their campaign 'to save services at Kingston Hospital' and invite readers to examine the documents that confirm this threat online.
Anybody who has taken the trouble to follow this up will have been surprised to discover that it is a presentation by the NHS of their 'South West London Strategic Plan, December 2009'.
Clearly the NHS believes that some rationalisation of hospital provision in south west London is necessary and this may well be.
What is quite clear is that it is a preliminary report that contains as many as 24 alternative proposals that could affect some or all of the hospitals in the area. There is no evidence that I can see that Kingston has been singled out.
It seems to me that before acting hysterically and upsetting many vulnerable people, the Liberal Democrats would be advised to await the outcome of what appears to be a complex and professional analysis of future hospital provision needs in south west London.
DAVID SALTER Kew
