YP Letters: My thanks to the dedicated staff of NHS

As a member of the Chaplaincy Team at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, it was my privilege to preach the sermon in the Hospital Chapel on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the National Health Service.

Twenty years later, as a patient, I received the skill and care of the staff. Over six days I calculated that skill and kindness was given to me by some 40 people. From the surgeon and her team to the ladies who supplied me with endless tea.

I observed that many members of staff were from abroad, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and the West Indies. Such people must be encouraged to come to the UK and work in the NHS.

Without their contribution the NHS could not function as it does. Anyone who would reduce their numbers for whatever reason, is foolish to say the least.

My personal thanks to the NHS. Long may it continue its service to those in need and any and every Government should give its full continuous support.

Vital fight to
tackle cancer

From: Edward Grainger, Botany Way, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough.

It is most reassuring to know that experts like Professor Carl Smythe continue to monitor the impact of vaccination on the incidence of cervical cancer.

As a cancer biologist he is well placed to advocate the strong case, despite the understandable concern of the general public to vaccination, that our young people should be offered vaccination to prevent HPV related cancers, (The Yorkshire Post, September 3).

It is now 12 years since my late wife Janet was the victim of cervical cancer and my interest throughout her dreadful illness over a three-year period until her death and afterwards is to support, firstly, frequent screening for all girls and women and secondly widespread vaccination programmes both here and across the world.

Make no mistake that cervical cancer is a dreadful disease and had Janet survived she would have been the first to reinforce the view that women should attend regularly for screening whatever their age although in her case and many others this in itself is not always conclusive.

Yet here we are with definite proof that a comprehensive programme of vaccination can lower quite dramatically the rate of HPV infection.

I wish those who claim damaged health in Laura Drysdale’s report (The Yorkshire Post, August 30) well and trust those who feel they have been suffering ill-health since the vaccination will be carefully and thoroughly investigated.

See carousel in fairground

From: Mrs S Downing, Woodhill Rise, Heads Lane, Hessle.

As a regular reader, I should like to say I enjoyed your article in The Yorkshire Post Magazine on July 21 regarding the Vintage Fairground Waltzer. However, my friend and I recently visited The Scarborough Fair Collection at the May Holiday Park, Lebberston Cliff, Scarborough and we were absolutely amazed by the array of fairground rides, steam engines, vintage cars and so much more.

My friend even had a ride on the carousel and danced to the music on the mighty Wurlitzer organ – a kind volunteer played the instrument beautifully. If you have not visited this absolute gem already you are missing a wonderful treat.

I am looking forward to many more visits, even the entrance was a joy with its wonderful mirrors. I know my grandchildren will find them very amusing and I hope to accompany them there before the summer ends.

Proud to help at foodbank

From: Nigel Currey, Mayfield Drive, Brayton, Selby.

In response to recent correspondence on food banks; at Selby & District Food Bank I am proud to be part of a team which helps those who find themselves, for many different reasons, in food – and frequently financial – poverty.

I am proud of our volunteers, grateful to those who donate money and food and the many businesses and our Town Council who support us, enabling us to help the vulnerable.

Yes there are those who try and cheat the system, but not the majority. And, for example, those with mobile phones (and sometimes cars) have these as a necessity in a rural area, and will usually have no landline and no other means of getting to work.

However, I am ashamed to live in a country where food bank use has increased by up to 300 per cent, primarily as a result of ill-planned benefit changes and where those who are not computer literate are at placed at such a disadvantage.

The change to Universal Credit is driving some to despair; for example where a household with two working on minimum wage suddenly has a break of six or maybe 10 weeks in their “top up benefit” or whatever you wish to call it.

They have no money to spare, nothing in a bank account. I could give many examples, but I think of the very competent client who came in the other day who has been waiting since May to have a financial error corrected. She has just been promised the money – in the third week of October. No money for six months.

Blame young

From: Brian H Sheridan, Lodge Moor, Sheffield.

I was surprised by the reservations expressed about the moves to clamp down on motorists who drive with inadequate eyesight (Feedback, The Yorkshire Post, September 5). I had always thought the test was reasonable, if not lenient.

However, I would wager that far more serious accidents are caused by young men with 20:20 vision driving without licence, insurance or even ownership than short-sighted pensioners.