Dr Christopher Knight (PHD) - Petts Wood (From News Shopper)

Dr Christopher Knight (PHD) - Petts Wood

in Letters

Your interview with Dr Paranjape regarding the possible closure of Orpington Hospital was quite depressing, not to say outrageous ("Doing nothing is not an option" according to lead GP on Orpington health project).

Talk about not listening to people's wishes to retain this wonderful hospital. Dr Paranjape seems set upon telling us we would be better off medically being treated outside in the community - what utter tosh!

Let me remind Dr Paranjape about the recent history of Orpington Hospital. Sometime in 2008 some wise administrator in collusion with the PCT decided to close the three operating theatres and two wards and use them for storage (this madness continues to the present). The hospital consultants wanted to keep the theatres/wards open for surgery. Their expert opinions were ignored. In consequence a number of consultants resigned their positions. Thereafter the 'running down' of the hospital escalated.

If only 60 per cent of the hospital is currently in use, that's because the powers at be have cut the services at Orpington quite deliberately. They are the ones responsible for the current situation. Dr Paranjape's comment: "There are very few services at Orpington Hospital which need to be in a hospital setting" if true, is an indictment of earlier planning and management surely.

My solution is quite simple: restore the three theatres/wards to perform the vital surgery they were built and designed for, open the blood test department 24/7 to ease the long waiting people currently experience, recall the consultants who were forced out in 2007 and recruit more staff (whatever the expense) and get some decent accountants to manage the hospital site.

Dr Christopher Knight (PHD)
Crescent Drive
Petts Wood