From Martin Postlethwaite.
AS the secretary of the Jersey branch of the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS), I am writing on behalf of our physiotherapists and our branch to request that the General Hospital hydrotherapy pool be taken off the list of possible Health and Social Services cuts.

The national branches of our organisation rely on hospitals having gym and hydrotherapy on the same premises for their self-help sessions. Over our 16-year existence, several of our members have derived great benefit from having both on hand at the Hospital and it has greatly helped to maintain our collective flexibility and quality of life.

Moreover, it has been an incentive and a blessing to have this, and it is very likely that if the pool closes, the group itself will fold.

We also feel that eventually this could be a false economy. Most of our members cannot find time to exercise during the week, and our Tuesday evening meetings are, as well as a social gathering, a means of keeping the illness at bay.

It is therefore very probable that without these facilities on hand, patients in a similar predicament could end up costing the Health Hervice more rather than less in the long run.

With the above in mind, I would implore the people concerned to reconsider any possible decision relating to the pool’s closure.