We should all be concerned for hospital

Sir, It was comforting to see a good attendance at Oban Community Council public meeting held in the Corran Halls on Friday January 13 to discuss upcoming changes to the Oban hospital. For once, the infamous Oban apathy lost.

I have to say that I expected a pretty heated discussion regarding a very serious concern which affects everybody, but that didn’t transpire. Apart from some salient points on the failings of the local health service, most of the public who spoke had nothing but praise for various parts of the service they have experienced, and rightly so, but raised very few deep questions, while some of George Berry’s concerns went noticeably unanswered.

What the public was treated to though was a display by two of the three health professionals present who spouted the biggest load of accountant-speak cow- dung that I have heard in a long time.

It was a total PR exercise in trying to alleviate the plebiscite.

I think everyone knows that the NHS is badly broken and that things will change, and I have no doubt that Oban’s Lorn and Islands Hospital will remain open because it is needed by a large and growing population. But what form it will be in future remains to be seen, so I would advise folks to take out health insurance if you don’t have any already. You have been warned.

Praise to chairwoman Marri Malloy and the community council for arranging the meeting and I’m sure that there will be others soon. Martin Macintyre, Cruachan Cottages, Taynuilt.