I find it extraordinary that after three chief executives have left the Primary Care Trust within the last ten years, each having left a financial shortfall now amounting to over £14 million, we now have two part-time executives, stating that they intend closing Devizes Hospital's maternity unit because it is "an expensive luxury."

I would like to know how they equate the saving of a mother's life or that of a child, with "an expensive luxury." Now we learn they have incurred a shortfall of £1.4 million.

Devizes has a growing population, which at present is one and half times that of Marlborough, and yet it is Marlborough which is able to retain Savernake Hospital.

When one considers the services and clinics available in Devizes ten year ago, they far exceeded that of Melksham and Savernake.

It appears to be all too obvious that Devizes is being run-down to a point, when the next ploy will be to close the hospital altogether as a 'non-viable proposition.'

The level of incompetence that appears to have plagued our PCT was made manifest when Southgate House was taken over as the administrative headquarters, when we were informed that over 800 local people would be employed.

The latest employment figures suggest less than 400 have ever been employed and, with the title of the Trust changing, thus accommodating differing areas each time, is it any wonder that financial shortfalls appear to be the vogue? Why should Devizes suffer?

One wonders how Savernake would have managed without the availability of Devizes maternity unit over recent weeks?

D ATHERTON

Devizes