SOON, it seems, lots of people are to be without dentists, and in some places the local and cottage hospitals are to be disbanded.

The National Health Service, which started off as such a great idea, has outgrown itself, become too big and unwieldy, mainly because it is being run by managers from Whitehall and not locally by the doctors and nurses who care.

Twenty five years ago we had local hospitals and your doctor, who had referred you there, even visited you on the ward. He gave you 24-hour call-out care, and even did minor surgery.

His surgery had hours to suit working folk. This meant you could see your doctor when you were actually poorly, not three or four days into your illness. I'm not for one moment blaming doctors, but the system.

If we are to be realistic, how can anyone run an organisation as huge as the National Heath Service Britain's third biggest employer and keep tabs on all the waste, expenditure, staff and customer care?

It's impossible. It should be broken down into manageable units and then made accountable to local folk (I was going to put community, but I just don't like the word).

But I suppose it's all part of the Government's determination to monitor and interfere in every aspect of our lives.

Take this health MoT they are suggesting. They constantly trot out these new reforms and programmes, whilst talking to and treating us as though we are all backward children.

And so perverse. One minute they let you drink all night and downgrade cannabis, then they propose that it will be illegal to buy fags until 18.

But it's OK to have the morning-after pill, or for a girl to have an abortion at 15, with the words Don't worry little one, we won't tell your mum. But let that same girl play truant. Who is suddenly responsible? Why that very same mum, of course.

ON Monday I was in Little Harwood at the St Stephen's Mothers Union. There were lots of people there I knew, so I really did enjoy myself. I drove past what in the old days was a cinema, and is now a mosque, I think. I remember the singer Lita Rosa opening it as the Starlight Club; we thought that was so glamorous.

On Tuesday morning I was with the gentlemen of the Probus Club at Lammack. With all that experience, all that knowhow, I feel the town should be utilising that knowledge one way or another; it's too valuable to waste.

IT was my birthday last week and I stipulated quite strongly that from now on I would not be acknowledging any more of those, thank you very much.

But on the day I was surprised to have delivered a large bouquet of flowers. I read the card. It said: To mum with lots of love on your very last birthday.' I'm just hoping it's not true.

Till next week