I WAS appointed to the consultant staff at Frenchay Hospital in 1966. I retired in 1996.

During the 30 years I worked there I held all the clinical managerial posts, throughout the various NHS re-organisations, eventually becoming the Medical Director when Frenchay became a Trust in 1990.

In the late 70s I was chairman of the redevelopment team when there were plans to redevelop the entire hospital.

The shallowness of the current debate would be laughable if it were not so serious. The redevelopment team were well aware, back in the 70s, that neither the Frenchay nor the Southmead site were big enough to provide all the services needed by the population of what was then Northavon. This is still true.

At that time only a new hospital on a "green field" site could provide a comprehensive healthcare service for the local population. It is, therefore, a nonsense to be debating either Frenchay or Southmead. There is another point that has carefully been ignored.

Major hospital development takes many years to achieve. A comprehensive healthcare service, however, needs to be provided while new facilities are made available. Frenchay, for example, has a world class neurosurgical unit. Where are patients with head injuries going to be managed until new provision is made?

The same applies to the burns unit and several other specialist units. These cannot be replaced overnight.

The "planners", in their naive belief that a single site will provide cost savings, are seeking a Holy Grail that does not exist. Developing Southmead and running down Frenchay will only achieve a reduction in both the quantity and quality of services.

There is no evidence anywhere in the country that this form of re-alignment of services is either more efficient or more economic.

Dr John Zorab Consultant Anaesthetist and Medical Director (retired) Park Street Iron Acton