A BUCKS NHS official said last year after the closure of Wycombe Hospital’s A&E unit the service for our district had “improved overall.” How’s that true? Is black actually white, or red a different shade of green?

The A&E service is “centralised” and for serious injuries and illnesses we have to go to the A&Es at Stoke Mandeville or Wexham Park hospitals which in light traffic takes 30 to 40 minutes. In rush hours it’s much longer.

How’s that an improvement? Previously, if you were hurt or taken ill in the Wycombe area, it usually took up to 15 minutes to reach Wycombe Hospital.

Now we have to travel much further on bumpy country roads and often find the Aylesbury and Slough A&Es very busy with long delays for treatment.

Also, our ambulances travel further and therefore are less available for Wycombe area 999 calls. If one of the Cameron family is taken ill or hurt at Chequers will they have to wait ages in A&E? Sadly it would highlight the delays we suffer.

I recall there was a protest petition last year about Wycombe’s lost A&E, organised by a councillor, which had about 16,000 signatures.

Nothing changed and I hear a new petition is slowly circulating. I doubt it will beat 16,000 and still no better A&E service.

Wycombe now only has a minor injuries unit often referring casualties to the other hospitals after patients have wasted time going to this Wycombe unit.

It’s a pity only 16,000 signed the well publicised petition.

Apathy seemed to have gripped the many more in our area who did not seek out the petition to sign.

Nationally the government has cut more than 4,000 hospital beds in the last five years. The nasty spiral of the A&E crisis continues. So far we’ve not had severe winter weather which would worsen the pressure.

I suggest that readers send a new protest about our A&E service to administrators at Wycombe Hospital, Queen Alexandra Road, HP11 2TT. It probably will not change things – but you might feel better! — Geoff Perfitt, Oaktree Close, Tylers Green