Remember cars

At least the Malvern Link people would be happy, which is better than having two lots of unhappy folk. There would be a lot of room there for ancillary services such as chiropody and dentistry and other extras the doctors would like to provide. Also there could be generous car parking.

The new hospital could surely be built on Townsend Way. On the whole patients visit a hospital less often than their GP, so a slightly out of town site would not matter so much, and there would be the space for a good car park.

Perhaps the Avenue Road practice could then move to the old hospital site? This would be convenient for its patients' as it is not far away.

Whatever scheme is chosen, adequate car parking is essential, think of the new Worcester hospital!

By now everyone should know that you need to arrive an hour before your appointment, so that you have ample time to drive round and round the car park until you are lucky enough to find a space. This makes people spend twice as long on site as they need, which means there are even fewer spaces available, as cars are left in them for much longer. If people could arrive ten minutes before their appointment time, and glide straight into a space, there would be a quicker turnover.

Public transport has its place, of course, but think about the people who go to hospitals. They are all ill and anxious, many of them are elderly and perhaps they are just not up to the hassle of walking to a bus stop, waiting for and changing buses. It is difficult to judge the time to be allowed for such a journey.

As we look forward to our new hospital and surgeries, let us hope the planners remember the car parks and at least take that stress away from our medical appointments.

I once went to a meeting about the new hospital and someone expressed a hope for good parking provision. There was a loud chorus of "Here, here!" from around the hall and much applause.

MRS M BROSNAN, Graham Road, Malvern.