The NHS has had a change of heart as to how we are to be cared for. Gone are the plans to ship us all to the big three hospitals of GWH in Swindon, RUH in Bath and Salisbury, instead being treated at local community hospitals.

Except I believe that Devizes area will soon not have one. Due to neglect over some years the X-ray department has had little or no funds spent on it.

I had a knee joint which was increasingly arthritic, requiring several X-ray scans at Melksham, Trowbridge and latterly Chippenham. None were performed at Devizes since, as I was told, there were no facilities to digitise the prints which are essential nowadays. The X-ray department was still in operation, and remained so until March this year. I’ve seen consultants at Bath and Chippenham, but never Devizes.

Surely the cost of installation of digitising equipment could not have cost the earth, and I assume that the unit had been earmarked for closure for some time.

The health authority, situated in Pans Lane, had plans early on to close this excellent central hospital to make way for housing, as reported in this paper, but was thwarted by a covenant. Without commitment to the X-ray department, there is little left to save the site, I feel.

With a new knee joint, I’ve needed the services of the excellent physiotherapists at Devizes who, believe me, perform miracles, and I cannot praise them enough.

Sadly they have to do this with equipment from a car boot sale. The decline to all the infrastructure is self-evident.

The hospital site is the most desirable piece of real estate in the town, and if closed, will surely become a set of luxury flats on the side of the canal, with boat moorings, as required, tenanted by well-to-do out-of-towners, enjoying facilities as close to the town as the hospital once was.

Contact the Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group, and ask them why they are happy to divert more badly needed NHS resources to a privately-run, out-of- town, profit-making organisation at Marshall Road, rather than our NHS community hospital. You can contact them at Southgate House, Pans Lane, Devizes, SN10 5EG, or (01380) 728899.

In an election year, I’m sure our local MP, Claire Perry would be glad to explain to you how aware she has been of the neglect to our NHS hospital, and if not, what she intends to do to help maintain it. Contact her at claire.perry.mp@ parliament.uk Failing that, enjoy the walk past the balconies overlooking the canal. As they say, use it or lose it.

Pete Holt, Highfield, Bromham.