It is indeed our entitlement to know the truth about our NHS services. However, the truth - as seen by many letter writers concerning the local health services and provision - appears somewhat open to people's own interpretation, and truth as only you see it is a dangerous and frequently inaccurate description.

To put the record straight, our MP Siobhain McDonagh never breaks rank with the Government.

True, there are some that will criticise her for that, so support the Government or not in some eyes she won't win.

However, it is her loyalty to the Government in whose name she serves that gives her supporters the trust we have in her.

What we see is what we get and what she supports is Government policy while making sure that the needs of her very needy constituency are heard and that we have a voice when otherwise we will often be overlooked for more prosperous parts.

Ms McDonagh does not spend much of her time going in for blame rather than addressing the issues and doing something about it.

Patricia Heweitt's decision that St Helier should be the chosen site for the critical care services was arrived at in no small part from the campaign by Siobhain McDonagh and local service users to state clearly that it is indeed the area served by St Helier which would be the right choice, due to the social and economic make up of the population, having the resulting effect on our health needs.

We have a large population of elderly service users and young families, and pockets of lower income users, resulting in an increased need for health services in comparison to better off areas.

Building the new hospital services at St Helier actually fitted all the Government's criteria and was reflective of clear Government guidelines. Patricia Hewitt told the trust to rebuild St Helier and stop moving services to Sutton.

It is NHS bosses who have refused to do as she instructed.

As for Councillor Gilli Lewis-Lavender, she chooses to ignore that it is largely due to Siobhain McDonagh's intervention that we in Mitcham and Morden who are dependent on the provision and accessibility of health services have a chance to save them.

It is worth remembering that plans to close St Helier were drawn up when the Conservatives were in power.

To finish I might add that the case of the Wilson Hospital has most certainly not been forgotten by the Labour councillors.

VALERIE HEDGES Address Supplied