Letter: Hospital excellence Britain cannot afford to lose

Sir: Brooding like Dr E. S. Anderson (Letters, 6 October), I have come to the conclusion that the closure of St Bartholomew's, Guy's, the Middlesex, University College Hospital, St Thomas's (not to mention St George's and Charing Cross) is planned because, like London Zoo, they occupy 'prime sites'. Speculators cannot keep their hands off them. The same motive lies behind the decision to sell County Hall to a hotel group rather than to the University of London. Profit, profit, profit - short-term, of course.

Yours faithfully,

G. A. ELWES

London, SW3

6 October