Letters - Saturday October 10, 2020

The plan to merge the Royal Lancaster Infirmary with the Royal Preston Hospital to create a so-called super hospital, somewhere between the two sites, is very disturbing news.

Although I do see the need for large, regional ‘centres of excellence’, we also need good local hospitals, with an accident and emergency department and consultant lead services.

If this plan goes ahead, it could potentially cost lives, due to the increased time in reaching hospital in an emergency, especially on our overcrowded road system.

It would make attending hospital for appointments even more difficult than at the present time.

Not everyone has access to a car.

Public transport is not always available and is expensive for people on a limited income.

I am disabled and I find that big is not best when it comes to facilities like a hospital.

Even with a plentiful provision of blue badge spaces, it is not always possible to park near the entrance and, once inside, there is often a long walk to the department you are visiting.

We need to tell this Government that we want to keep our hospitals local.

For our health services, local is best.

Jean Withers

address supplied

Education

Police officers in schools

During my career in the police service, which admittedly ended a number of years ago, the organisation always encouraged a healthy liaison with schools, with regular visits adopting the philosophy that this liaison encouraged positive relationships between both. The concept was that it promoted awareness of how we should live our lives and help to identify the most vulnerable.

Those of my generation all remember those halcyon primary school days with visits from the road safety officer and Cycling Proficiency Tests. How times have changed in today’s modern society.

A recent initiative introduced by Bev Hughes, the Deputy Mayor of Manchester, in an effort to reduce incidents of serious violence, and after consultations with headteachers, is to base 20 PCs at local schools.

Not a bad idea, I innocently thought, but it has been met with major disapproval by a Ms Roxy Legane of the ‘Kids of Colour’ organisation, which is a spin-off from the BLM movement – which in my opinion is a sinister organisation hiding behind a very noble sentiment.

She argues it will inflame racial tensions, young people will feel like suspects and the presence of these officers is overpolicing the lives of working class children. She further alleges that it will cause the kids great anxiety, is inhibiting and is basically an intelligence gathering exercise for the cops. In her opinion, there is an automatic assumption and a false narrative that black kids always misbehave. This lack of support for what seems a commendable idea is deeply regrettable. I do worry about living in racial harmony and the future of our grand and great grand children.

Jim Oldcorn

address supplied

Roads

Video-calling while driving

Like the RAC, I was horrified – but not surprised – to read that young people are video-calling whilst driving.

The Department for Transport is, apparently, “finalising plans to strengthen the law in this area”.

The only threat which could possibly work is one of instant disqualification by a court.

Of course, it would help if the likelihood of being caught and prosecuted was increased as well.

Elisabeth Baker

via email

Virus

Wrong to open theatres just yet

It has been bought to my attention that at some Blackpool theatres there will be shows during the October half term.

I do not think this is a good idea, with people coming from all over and spreading the virus art a time when numbers are rising.

Having people sat in a theatre during half term seems very wrong to me while the virus is spreading all the time and the numbers are rising.

Mrs Olivier

via email