SIR - I normally attend the Sidford Surgery, but, while in Sidmouth Hospital, I had to be taken to Sidmouth Health Centre to have a biopsy done on a suspicious skin lesion.

I was appalled at the cramped conditions the GPs have to work under in the treatment rooms. The facilities might have been state of the art when the centre was built 30 or 40 years ago, but are totally inadequate today with a growing population in Sidmouth and when GPs are expected to do more and more minor surgery and other procedures to save us having to go to a major hospital.

A new health centre should have a high priority with the appropriate planning authority. I would have thought that the �1.5m pounds offered by the development of the Fortfield site could have provided the necessary “kick start” to the provision of a new health centre. It seems that the authorities will be dissipating this money on a number of small projects. Surely, nothing is more important than the health of the population of Sidmouth and District.

I hope public opinion is now gained to press for a high priority to be given to the provision of a new health centre (why not on the Fortfield site).

Rex Saunders FRSC, FRC Path

1 Higher Brook Meadow, Sidford