READING your columns on the health debate, I would like to comment further.

It seems Wigan hospital doesn’t want a downgrade to happen in a similar fashion to the one its health authority foisted on to Leigh Infirmary. I was one of the thousands of people who marched to preserve the A&E facility at Leigh Infirmary.

This was turned down and removed by the authority.

Not only that but when Firs Maternity hospital was sold off to developers a promise was made to build a new unit to replace this at Leigh Infirmary.

No prizes for guessing where it was built instead!

Yes Leigh Infirmary was preserved but as a downgraded version of its former self. It is only fairly recently that some much-needed improvements have been made. I also find it unequal that there are scanning services in Wigan and Ince but none at Leigh.

Why is the Ince facility not sited at Leigh as this would give a more equal spread of resources and reduce a lot of travelling time for hard pressed local people?

Due to the above downgrade to Leigh, I started to use Salford Royal, Bolton and even Warrington.

I now find these hospitals more convenientI can be in Salford Royal in not much more than 20 minutes in non-rush hour traffic..

I find it rich to see a call for our support from a health authority that ultimately led to the demise of our hospital facility and promised maternity unit.

I now depend on the hospitals in Salford and Bolton and would much prefer that they are the ones chosen not to be downgraded!

Local tax-payer