ANY attempt to privatise health and social care in the county must be met with stiff opposition.

Following recent announcements from Wye Valley NHS Trust that it is looking at several different ways of providing health care in Herefordshire, there must be full public consultation.

Unlike Herefordshire Council whose decision makers are elected by the community, health provision is decided on by government appointees and employed officials who with the best will in the world, cannot possibly reflect a representative view of the many county users of the health facilities in Herefordshire.

I accept the need to find new and different ways of providing important services such as heart or cancer but allowing a private provider to run these services would take local control from the county.

Had the non-elected hospital board listened to the then Hereford City Council, we would not have had a PFI agreement with such expensive car parking at the County Hospital.

Private companies are there to provide profits for share holders.

Sick and distressed people, do not make profits.

County councillors, housing associations, voluntary and charity organisations, including patient groups, should be fully consulted before any decision to privatise any part of the Wye Valley Health Trust is made.

Those of us who live and work in the community, who work for and with vulnerable people, know far better than government appointees, how ever well meaning, the problems emulating from low wages, poor housing, rural isolation and living on benefits or low pensions.

Unless you have been there, you can have no idea of the issues.

Private provision of any form of health care will dilute care for people at a time when most in need.

COUNCILLOR CHRIS CHAPPELL, St Martins and Hinton Ward, Herefordshire Council.