To be accused by London Millennium Hospitals Ltd of not wanting to be confused by the facts (Letters, 8 January) is frankly hilarious.

Facts are scarce in the Millennium Hospital proposal. It contains no studies relating the needs of the population served to the clinical facilities that would be provided. There is only a vague estimate of the capital cost (pounds300m!) and no analysis of operating costs. No work has been done with the university to establish the requirements for teaching and research. There is no certainty about the availability of the site or the attitude of the planning authorities. No information is presented that would allow health authorities to evaluate the proposals or enable public consultation to take place. If I am confused it is certainly not by the facts.

It is at best naive, and at worst disingenuous, to suggest that all this could be sorted out in a matter of months.

The public interest is not served by delaying well-planned and long-awaited developments in order to accommodate 11th-hour proposals for pie in the sky.

Charles Marshall,

Chief executive,

UCL Hospitals trust.