ON what factual evidence and personal experience does Walter Hall base his observations on the National Health Service? (Letters Wednesday, February 3).

He now claims that the elderly are suffering most from neglect and poor care; our old people are also often kept in the dark and treated for one complaint when they have several; and that this is partly due to a bias among some elements of NHS management for high tech wonder surgery as opposed to basic patient treatment.

These statements are an appalling and unwarranted slur on all consultants, doctors, nurses, and other staff working in our hospitals. Their integrity, professionalism and performance is impugned by the spin-doctor generalisations constantly trotted out by Walter Hall and his ilk.

As a former Conservative colleague of Walter Hall, I repudiate and disassociate myself from his assertions.

Since I retired four years ago, I have been in and out of local hospital wards on many occasions, and visited outpatient clinics and GP surgeries countless times.

I have witnessed nothing but excellent medical practice and patient care from the consultants, doctors, nurses, auxiliary nurses, theatre staff, and the ward cleaners. Their selfless service and commitment is outstanding.

Regrettably, I have got three serious illnesses, only my family doctor deals with my treatments simultaneously.

To state that our old people are kept in the dark is a disgraceful misrepresentation of the daily reality to be found in medical wards, outpatient clinics, health centres, GPs surgeries. I would suggest to Walter Hall that he should read the letters he receives from 'above' before he signs them.

Mr R Halliwell

Lydbrook Close, Bolton

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