YOUR story about the temporary closure of children’s services at Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital from July 17 (Echo, July 1) came as no surprise. Yet another closure of Friarage services and their transfer many miles away to Teesside.
Why no surprise? I well recall when Tony Blair parachuted Professor Sir Ara Darzi (now Lord Darzi) here to look at the NHS in North Yorkshire. He said of our lovely Friarage: “Hospital services have drifted from north to south of the Tees and it was essential that this was not only halted, but reversed.”
In view of that, you cannot give any value to being told this latest closure is only temporary.
Sadly, I suffer from cancer. Even though I have been treated well at the Friarage I have at times during 14 years of treatment had to travel to a Teesside hospital.
My latest operation, to remove my right kidney, was on Teesside, which is inconvenient for family and visitors.
Nephrectomies, (kidney removal) used to be done at the Friarage until Lord Darzi spoke. I don’t think he knows how big North Yorkshire is.
How many babies will be born on the A19? How many folks will die on their way from North Yorkshire to Teesside? Will Lord Darzi care?
The Reverend Ted Spiller, Thirsk, North Yorkshire.
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