Letter: In pain after losing pool

Letter: I refer to the item in your paper on November 9 "Concern for disabled son after pool axed".

I have osteoarthritis of the spine and knees and have used the hydrotherapy pool at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for nearly 10 years as a member of the Arthritis Care group.

I found the weekly visit not only beneficial to my health due to being able to exercise in very warm water, but there was also the added benefit of meeting similarly-affected people and exchanging views and ideas relating to self help.

Certainly, since the pool has closed the aches and pains I get from my arthritis have worsened considerably.

I think that the statement made by the nameless spokesperson for the NHS trust that it is not contractually obliged to provide a pool in Shrewsbury is totally uncaring and unsympathetic.

The fact that a pool is available in Telford presupposes that everyone has the means and ability to reach that hospital.

It is yet another cost-cutting exercise by an inefficient and uncaring man- agement team.

As a group, we knew that closure has been threatened for the last two years and yet last year the trust installed an electric, overhead lift to enable patients to enter the pool.

We thought that there had been a rethink and the pool would remain open.

So if anyone can make use of a £15,000 to £20,000 lift in a new condition, make enquiries at the RSH as they have one surplus to requirements.

Arthur Jones

Shrewsbury