Southampton as a city is served by its hospitals as no other in the country and yet here we go again!

Motorists complaining of parking costs whilst ignoring the huge advantage we have over other cities.

As a young man I was appointed to the committee running the Southampton Children’s Hospital, a hospital that covered a wide-ranging area including the Romsey Cottage Hospital.

My first and most horrendous task was to visit this hospital as the appointed “visitor” accompanied by Doctor Angus as my mentor.

I remember with absolute horror Dr Angus stopping at the door of what appeared to be an outhouse, demanding admittance that was at first refused. Using his authority as visitors we gained entrance to the most horrible sight you can imagine – 40-odd beds occupied by dirty, unwashed and deliberately forgotten patients waiting to die! On my honour, absolutely true, it was the death house!

Contrast that to today’s conditions 60 years later – first-class accommodation, with wonderful surgeons and services unparalleled.

Take my own personal issues, several eye operations performed by a wonderful surgeon, Botox injections to stop incredible facial distortions. Even today I spend most of it in an acute emergency ward, one patient [my wife] with a staff of six or more in continuous attendance.

During the lunch hour sitting in a far corner I saw one of my wife’s surgeons. When I saw him, I thought I’d take the opportunity to thank him. Instead I could only stand behind, and quickly thank him for his efforts whilst patting his head and then, highly embarrassed, walk quickly away.

Yes I too am a driver inconvenienced by the need to park, it is a nuisance, but ask yourself this question: what is the most important, mine and your convenience or the wellbeing of the hospital patients? Six pounds to park weighed against the millions of pounds spent healing the sick old and dying? This is our own next of kin!

Alan Reynard

Southampton