'York needs a brand-new state-of-the-art hospital'

Coupled with the Care Quality Commission’s 2023 audit of the hospital stating that it ‘requires improvement’, isn’t now the time to question whether a sticking plaster approach is the right way forward?

Shouldn’t the hospital trust have the vision to create a brand-new state of the art healthcare facility out of town?

It is amazing that the care provided by staff, which is usually brilliant, is not impacted more by their poor surroundings.

When the hospital was opened in 1977, York’s population was around 160,000; today the population is close to 220,000 and projected to grow. Instead of sinking more and more money into an outdated facility, now is the time to build a brand new hospital building with all the facilities for patient care and student teaching.

Come on York healthcare providers (and the University of York) – where’s the vision?

Prof Colin Garner, Retired Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology,

Hull York Medical School, Sand Hutton, York

Acomb’s Halifax to close

So now the Halifax Bank in Acomb is closing (The Press, March 13).

Why? We have lost three other banks in Acomb.

It is definitely needed and the staff are courteous and very helpful.

Acomb is a vibrant place to shop - it is always busy, as is the bank.

Many elderly residents in Acomb use the bank because it is local. Many people do not have online banking and prefer to speak to a cashier and not a remote computer.

So why not keep the Halifax open? It’s always busy. We need a bank in Acomb.

If it does close - and I really hope not - what will it be instead?

S McClaren, Boroughbridge Road, York

Fat cats and failure

Amid recriminations from Westminster about fat cat rewards for failure in industry there has not been a peep from our political masters on their own pay rise.

Reward for failure or what?

J A Whitmore, Haxby, York