HOSPITAL STILL FILLS A NEED

WHEN I was a baby in the early 1950s, climbing up to a shelf, all crashed down.

I cut my finger on a milk bottle.

Auntie DoDo and Mother rushed me to Accrington Victoria Hospital for stitches.

Victoria Hospital was there for me then.

In 1967 and 1985 I had operations at Victoria Hospital with Mr Magel.

In 1967, on a big ward for the operation, I was taken to a small room, told I was getting better, so I drank coffee in the upstairs small room - just two beds. Mr Powell and me.

What I did notice, they kept you in hospital longer in 1967 than in 1985 for the same operation.

I had the same operation done twice.

I guess that reflects the changing times, even in 1985 the idea was developing to save hospital beds.

Accrington Victoria Hospital was always there for us when it was needed.

Times change, with the computer age, you get the idea that it will all be done at bigger hospitals out of town.

Blackburn Royal is a good hospital, I still feel there is a need for emergency help closer to home in Accrington.

A first stop for help and advice, maybe later people have to go out of town for bigger operations.

Accrington Victoria Hospital still fills a need for the people of Accrington.

Accrington is a big enough town to have a hospital.

There is a need for the walk-in service, which I appreciate not everyone has time or feels well enough to walk for.

Sometimes, letters can help.

Older people can write a letter, to let the powers that be know properly what side people are on.

We know doctors have to use computers in their work and recognise the modern age. We still need people. Not much use really in telling a computer you can’t breathe or have a pain. A computer does not care.

Accrington Victoria Hospital was there for me in my lifetime.

If we don’t want to lose it, our hospital needs the people of Accrington now.

To make views known before it is forever too late.

The time seems to be now for the people of Accrington to talk about it, write about it.

Would the people of Accrington really be happy to be forever walking to a bigger out of town hospital, or catch a bus if you don’t drive?

We have Accrington Victoria hospital in Accrington. Whatever the political tide, we need to look after it.

Victoria Hospital needs it now. Adrian Vincent Grady Lemonius Street Accrington