Sir, – It is becoming obvious Darlington Memorial Hospital is being starved of funds.

One orthopaedic ward 34 has been shut on the face of it for refurbishment. Now we hear when ward 34 re opens it will only be as a general surgical ward and will no longer be an orthopaedic ward.

This is madness as 30 patients from the newly closed ward 34 have been integrated into the next orthopaedic ward 33 where the were only six vacant beds.

For a while it was possible to keep A and E open in Hartlepool. Alas too many people trusted the Labour Party and they were to be severely disappointed.

Top civil servants in London decided about 15 years ago we should have one big super hospital at James Cook. All the other local hospitals were to be elective surgery only – the Darzi recommendations as they were known. Top civil servants in London do not know that Teesside cannot cope with only one A and E at James Cook. It will not stop them trying to close A and E in Darlington.

Remember Hartlepool and do not trust Jenny Chapman or the Labour Party. They will not save A and E in Darlington. We must do that for ourselves.

NIGEL BODDY

Fife Road, Darlington.