EVAN Boucher, chief executive of Bury Primary Care Trust (Letters, March 15), criticises the content of Dawn Robinson-Walsh's letter "I am suspicious of NHS Survey", yet her letter summed up exactly my own response after reading the leaflet Have Your Say: NHS Vision.

Hers was a valid letter, giving a considered and measured response. Surely the health authorities require honest feedback on their surveys?

This leaflet caused me concern about the future of hospital services in Bury. It is my opinion that the people of Bury need to be extremely suspicious as the whole leaflet appears to be courting public opinion while, in reality, attempting to sway it.

The leaflet seems to have been designed for the public to appear to give their permission to move services away from their local hospital. The questionnaire is, indeed, flawed, in that it asks people to choose whether providing more services in locations closer to home, is more important than providing clinically-safe services. These are not competing issues; both criteria are of absolute importance to the health of the public.

The outcome that the leaflet is attempting to guide the public towards is clearly precised in Question Two of the questionnaire. I quote: "If you think that 'providing clinically safe services is the most important criteria', write number one against this criteria; if you think 'providing services closer to home' is the least important criteria, write number six against this criteria.

Furthermore, why are maternity and children's services being reviewed as a separate exercise? When considering health issues, the whole family need to be considered together. Only for a few specialist services should people be transferred to other hospitals.

Travel issues are a major consideration. How are Bury people supposed to access these other areas? The roads in Greater Manchester are some of the busiest and most congested in the country. Patients are not always being transferred safely and families are not able to visit as regularly. Very sick people need the presence and emotional support of their families.

Various wards and specialist areas have already been transferred from Fairfield to the detriment of the people of Bury. There have been examples in other towns of the NHS moving services away by stealth. A very good example of the wishes and needs of local people being ignored is that of Kidderminster where, despite very strong protests, the public lost their local hospital and are now forced to travel to other towns for hospital services.

The people of Bury need clinically-safe services available locally. Sick people need to be treated near to their home and their families.

R. CHADWICK