YP Letters: Give me NHS rather than alternative that helps only the rich

The Prince of Wales meets hospital staff as he visits Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan hospital in Ebbw Vale to mark the 70th anniversary of the NHS.

AFTER reading Jayne Dowle’s article about people who moan about our wonderful NHS (The Yorkshire Post, July 5), we should be grateful that we have medical assistance available to us, no matter how rich or poor we may be.

There is not one person in this country who has more reason to be grateful for the service than me.

I have had more than my share of accidents and have received nothing but the best of treatment one could ask for. Having gone through operations for joint replacements and having just had a letter from the surgeon who operated on me, telling me, following a CT scan, that my cancer has not returned, you  can understand my love of the NHS.

Yes, health tourists and inefficient managers blight the use of funding, and we have to accept they are failing, but, on the whole, I’d rather have what we have than the alternative where only the rich are looked after.

From: Mrs N Stephenson, Woodhouse Lane, East Ardsley, Wakefield.

I WOULD like to thank (via The Yorkshire Post) two brilliant and caring ambulance staff. Their names are Ash and Claire from Churwell Station (Morley). I had a severe fall on May 22 and the above-mentioned arrived and made me feel I was in good hands and transported me to Pinderfields General Hospital.

I could not have an operation that day but to my amazement waiting for surgery (on my hip and wrist) two smiling faces appeared at my bedside, it was Ash and Claire. If I had been Her Majesty, I couldn’t have had more kindness and attention.

Also I would like to mention how well I was looked after in Pinderfields General Hospital – even the excellent gluten-free foods as I am a coeliac. So thanks to all our ambulance staff who thoroughly deserve it.

From: Dorothy Scruton, Kingsley Road, Harrogate.

READING Andrew Vine’s column about his father’s working life in the NHS echoes my life working as a nurse (The Yorkshire Post, July 3)..

I, too, began my training in February 1948 at Harrogate General Hospital and spent many happy years working at the same hospital until 1982.

We went to work on a ward with lectures in our own time, rules and discipline all part of our training.

So different from today’s training with “hi-tech” treatment but (TLC) tender love and care is still needed.