Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Can NHS survive?

A.P. MILROY of Trowbridge asked: ‘What’s going on?’ in the future of Trowbridge hospital birthing unit, at mercy of misnamed Quality Care Commission.

He can answer his own questions from the evidence of experience common to many. In our two towns, and Melksham, we have seen the typical scams of history evolving in local government and NHS, long since leading to return of pre-WW1 situations and essential needs of women being ignored.

In 1938, my aunt moved from the Welsh valleys to become district nurse/midwife at Box, subsequently Chippenham, covering her patch on a bicycle, with thereby limited equipment.

Home births were the norm for the majority of women; not infrequently without heating, hot water, linen and the attendance of a doctor happenchance; as was the presence of a public telephone box nearby.

In post-war 1945 the question was: “Can the NHS be created, AND survive?”

On site and in boardroom, I listened to my betters. Regardless of colour or collars the answers were, “Yes, but it will operate on a shoestring and then be destroyed by medical specialists self-interests, aided by careless, unscrupulous politicians.”

The privatised, previously nationalised, industries had in common goldmines of estate lands, buildings, water resources, mineral rights etc, ripe for stealthy theft, as practised upon the canal systems and subsequent Beeching closures.

There is now a proliferation of hotels, gated ghettoes, private care homes, luxury housing estates etc, properties that were gifted to the NHS in 1948, where once nurse’s residential homes, hospitals, mental care asylums, invalid care homes, admin offices; an endless list throughout Britain; their demise hastened by ‘Care in the Community.’

Many facilities I surveyed, some of medieval origin, had been purchased with “Mile of Pennies” and “Shilling in a Laundry Basket,” examples of Milroy’s “scraped together monies.”

Other sources included ‘Memorial XXXX’ in name of war casualties; land gifted in trusts, fully endowed coverage of construction, maintenance, staffing; supported by grateful public additional ‘Friends of XXXX’ monies.

Locally, we experienced West Wiltshire District Council, its short lived expensive purpose-built administrative complex one of the assets gifted to the unified County Council, become a heap of rubble. Other assets are currently off-loaded, unfinanced to our Town Tax Bill, as further financing of Westminster Government determined to close hospitals. Both ploys are now firmly established unprincipled principles.

The Trowbridge ante and post-natal remnant service is a cynical red herring delay. Transfer the equipment and trained staff and the site becomes ‘surplus’.

Dr Sandford-Hill can uphold the reputation of the best of his profession but one suspects he, and his commission, are toyed with as useful distractions/scapegoats.

Harold Hazell, Bradford on Avon

Bins are rubbish

WHAT is this crap Wiltshire Council has come up with for more bins?

Let’s have a lesson about bins: blue, cardboard and plastic. Black, normal rubbish. Green, grass cuttings free. Then they changed their minds and started to charge. But they are selling it as compost and making money.

So, why do we need more boxes? I live in a flat. I have nowhere to keep these things. When they come to my place and say I have to have them, I will stop recycling and everything will go into the black bin every two weeks. At this time this goes out every six to eight weeks.

R.J. Lockwood, Queensway, Melksham

Hello old friends

I AM endeavouring to contact friends, colleagues and acquaintances from my past.

I lived in Trowbridge from autumn 1968 to February 1972. During that period I was employed by Tesco Estates and based at West Wilts Industrial Estate at Westbury.

I also played football for Avon Bradford and attended Bath Technical College.

In the unlikely event that anyone remembers me and is willing to admit it, I should be delighted to hear from them.

With thanks and in hope,

David Sadler

david@sadlerdesign.co.uk

01371 810810

07768 291554

Hunt for soldier

I HAVE recently completed a new illustrated history of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (RWY) which is due to be published later this year by Fonthill Media.

I am looking for information about Mr Leslie Charles Wheeler, who I believe was usually known as Charles, who enlisted as a Lance Corporal and had been promoted to Captain by the time the Second World War ended. He came from Devizes and joined the RWY in 1929 and served throughout the war on the Middle East, El Alamein and finally in Italy.

His memoirs As I Remember were privately published in the 1980s. If any readers recall Mr Wheeler or have contact with his family, I would be very keen to make contact.

Stephen Keoghane, Military historian and former Regimental Medical Officer to the Royal Wessex Yeomanry

srkeo@hotmail.com

07855 388808