I WHOLEHEARTEDLY concur with the letter from Dr Richard Taylor (December 8) in response to the letter from Councillor Anne Hingley and the necessity to keep a co-ordinated response on health matters.

However, there is one other issue raised in her letter, in which she states that there was never any danger of the Kidderminster Hospital site being sold off as it was protected for health purposes.

It would seem that people have short memories, because two years ago it was the acute trust's main aim to sell off approximately a third of that land, and it was clear this was to raise capital for housing development.

Admittedly, local council resistance from Health Concern, well supported by Dr Taylor and the Primary Care Trust, may well have delayed the conversion of the land for housing, but ultimately, if the decision had not gone against the acute trust then the will of higher authorities could almost certainly have prevailed.

There was no absolute guarantee in the long term that this land would have been ring-fenced for health.

This, together with the recent rejection of the motion to demand retention of all existing services proposed by Health Concern, by the Conservative administration, makes one concerned for any local co-ordinated cross-party resistance to any of the real threats to further cuts in our health services.

Unity is essential because there are powerful forces in other places which will require strong united local reaction to support our acute trust board's stance in their bid to preserve these services at Kidderminster Hospital.

HOWARD EELES

Fairfield Lane, Wolverley