Published: Tuesday, 2nd March, 2010 3:50pm

Moving the wrong away

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I WRITE in response to the article printed in the Reporter (23/2/10) entitled "Vision for the Vale is moving forward".

I was surprised to read that once the Vision for the Vale was in place there would be 18,350 additional patients coming to the Vale hospital.

This is simply not the case.

The figure of 18,350 refers to the number of additional appointments that there will be at the hospital and one does not have to be a mathematical genius to conclude that many people may come for more than one of these additional appointments.

I was disappointed that the article contained absolutely no mention of the many more people who have to make the journey across the water to the RAH in Paisley.

Indeed, according to the Scottish Ambulance service, at least 1,200 more people will completely bypass the Vale hospital altogether each year, and that is on top of those who already make the journey across the water.

The Vision for the Vale has effectively rubber stamped the removal of vital services from the Vale of Leven Hospital, meaning thousands of people in this area have no other option than the RAH in Paisley.

The Vision for the Vale is indeed 'moving forward', but unfortunately for the people in this area the direction we are heading is far away from the Vale.

Pat Rainey, Dumbarton