NHS deserves our praise, not just criticism

SO many people criticise the NHS these days but very few take time to say ‘thank you’, hence the reason for this letter.

While staying with my family in Tickhill recently, I was admitted to Doncaster Royal Infirmary and I would like to say how fortunate the residents in Doncaster and surrounding area are to have been blessed with having the facilities of this hospital.

The care and attention I received was absolutely first class, everyone was so helpful and kind in all the units I was involved with: the assessment, endoscopy and scan units and last, but by no means least, Ward SII where I spent most of my stay. Nothing seemed too much trouble to any of the staff whilst caring for me, so my grateful thanks to everyone.

Being an avid people watcher I was very impressed with how dedicated all the staff were in their respective jobs, the consultants, doctors, senior and junior nursing staff, domestic and catering staff, each and everyone gave their best.

Hospital food seems to get criticised quite a bit but whilst not of best hotel standard, I found the daily menus were very varied and adequate and the meals when they came were well presented and enjoyable. I also found the cleanliness of Ward SII was to a very high standard.

Being the age I am I have seen many changes since the inauguration of the NHS and can also remember pre-NHS days, so again, I reiterate how very lucky we are in this day and age to have the facilities and care on our doorstep when the need arises.

In closing, I would like to say that I wish the public would stop criticising the NHS and blowing up the little blips and mishaps as these happen in any organisation, especially ones of this size and just count your blessings. Remember all the good that they do and how tirelessly the staff work, as from my experience if you are ill, have no fear, the NHS will take great care of you!

Costly plan is
off its trolley

From: Ralph T Smithson, Shire Oak Road, Leeds.

I OBJECT to Leeds Council’s trolleybus scheme for many reasons, but wish to highlight the following:

1. The proposed trolley route passing central Headingley could be used for all traffic travelling southbound to the city centre, reserving the existing road through Headingley itself for northbound traffic. Given controlled roundabouts at (or about) Richmond Road and Shaw Lane this would go a long way to eliminating the traffic jams which currently plague the A660.

2. Separate trolley and bus stops: my observation is that the majority of city bound bus travellers alight at the university, the Merrion Centre or the St John’s Centre. Several different bus services, which pass through the main passenger catchment area, provide this service so one rarely has to wait for more than a few minutes for a bus. Who would go to another stop to catch a relatively rare trolleybus?

3. For a fraction of the cost of this trolley folly the council could subsidise bus passenger fares. This, together with a free park and ride at Lawnswood, would encourage motorists to use public transport.

Hard answer to child death

From: R Hartley, Shadwell Lane, Leeds.

TO answer Barry Foster’s question “What on earth was she doing?” (Yorkshire Post, November 20), I think that Hamzah Khan’s mother was beyond reasonable thought and incapable of doing anything positive. Eight children, without help, is enough to drive anyone to drink.

Pregnancies take their toll. For the last three months, the extra weight makes a woman cumbersome and sometimes very uncomfortable. Times that by eight equals two years of discomfort and inability to move freely. What man would want to put up with that?

Then when the child is born, there are the devastating months of sleep deprivation when most women can barely think let alone think straight. Times that by eight – still having to cope with the earlier children as well.

Where was the father when she needed help? I remember that Hamzah’s father popped up for his 15 seconds of fame, saying how appalling it was.

Indeed, so did her stepfather and where was her family when she needed help?

Was she able to look after the first two or three children? If not, why weren’t her doctor and clinic aware of it and suggest contraception?

I hope that her fellow prisoners will have compassion for this woman and leave her in peace. After all, who would cast the first stone?

Paying a price for BT sport

From: Mr S B Oliver, Churchill Grove, Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire.

THE contrast between BT’s spending £900m on football coverage for three years and UK’s £10m aid to the Philippines disaster, is rightly pinpointed by Janet Rowntree (Yorkshire Post, November 19).

BT’s profits were up by five per cent, to £600m, in just the second quarter of this year so they then decide to announce increases of 3.5 per cent on line rentals and almost seven per cent on call-plan packages.

They also intend to now start charging £21 per year for the BT Answer 1571 message service which is currently free to customers.

I shall therefore now be purchasing a new home telephone with an answering facility and cancelling the 1571 option. BT will now join the list of energy suppliers in my “rip-off” folder.