ONCE again Jerry Hawker of the Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commission Group has highlighted problems at the Accident and Emergency Department at Macclesfield District General Hospital.

The problem is doubtless on-going because the hospital is the only place where patients from a wide geographical area can access emergency and out of hours health care which may require procedures such as X-rays.

Quixotic when you think that here in Knutsford we have a so-called hospital, which although it keeps office hours and has no beds, could so easily provide care nearer to home for some of those needing it.

Surely if the local GPs got together and worked a ‘one day a month’ schedule patients in this area could be seen at the Knutsford Community Hospital and then filtered between those who could be easily be treated in Knutsford, and those needing full A and E care.

After all we have listened to nebulous talk of a new heath and well being centre for so many years, that to-day few people believe it will ever materialise, so maybe it is time to get realistic, and put the facilities we have to better use.

For unless we do something the situation will only get worse when the planned new homes are built, and more patients need care from an already over-burdened system.

Mabel Taylor Knutsford