ON Sunday July 28 the Women’s Health Unit at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital closed. I was the last patient to leave.

Fortunately for me I was being discharged, unlike the other women remaining who were transferred to other wards. The nurses working on this ward, many of them for many years, have had to take posts on other wards and their wealth of experience now lost to women in the future.

What for? Apparently to improve women’s care for which funds are being raised for a new unit.

This new unit will no longer have overnight beds, meaning that women, like myself, needing to stay in hospital after surgery will be on mixed wards.

How can this be progress? Women who have sensitive surgery may not feel comfortable in a ward with male patients, being looked after by nurses who, though caring, will not have the knowledge or experience recovering women need.

A Women's Health Unit should include the whole package, not fall short at this vital bit.

So come on Royal Bournemouth have a rethink and give women a unit they deserve and include an overnight stay ward in the plans.

PAM OAK, Lionheart Close, Bournemouth