I FEEL I must respond to Jean Cooper's letter (Shuttle/Times and News, November 20) concerning Kidderminster Hospital.

It is indisputable that some services have been withdrawn mainly on the grounds of safety as the hospital could not sustain consultants to cover every eventuality, meaning some patients having to be treated at other hospitals.

Conversely some services which were not available before will now be catered for.Unfortunately in today's world where cost is a consideration, services have to be rationalised, so now some patients will be coming to Kidder-minster Hospital for treatment from outside their area.

I note she quoted waiting time figures from 13 years ago. Surely it would have been more relevant to have used figures from the time when the hospital was downgraded but perhaps they would not have suited her purpose - Mrs Cooper is the wife of Malcolm Cooper, former chairman of Kidderminster Health Authority, a former Conservative district councillor and latterly agent to MP Dr Richard Taylor.

CHRIS JONES

Stourport Road

Bewdley