Julia Bridgewater chief executive, at the board meeting of Shropshire Community NHS Trust, gave an unvarnished and devastating account of why it is not possible to proceed with the proposed health facility on the Ludlow Eco Park. She faced some unwarranted attack from a couple of members of the audience which she ignored with dignity.

Neither she, nor the present board members, are responsible for errors which have led to the present debacle. Those errors were built into the business case which supported the application.

Queries raised at the time about the validity of the figures were vehemently brushed aside.

The saving grace is the commitment by the Trust to maintain the existing Ludlow Hospital, to invest £160k in the minor refurbishment that is required and to make it the centre of a truly community based service. I recommend to anyone who wants to make sense of the decision that they read the brief document prepared by Julia Bridewater; it is only too apparent that there could be no alternative to the decision that has been made.

JOYCE BRAND

College Street

Ludlow