HAVING had a career in the NHS I am acutely aware of how consulting the public works.

Basically decisions are made which are then sold to the public with an expensive consultation.

I am struck by two articles in your paper of January 4 which show the cost to us all for this consultation.

Firstly a 77-year-old having to wait three hours for an ambulance.

Secondly a quote in your consultation article by a media and communications consultant. I wonder who in their right mind decided leaving a 77-year-old outside immobile, was not a clinical emergency in freezing cold weather .

At the same time the health service is giving up hours of clinical time to pay for a media and communications consultant.

These changes are politically driven as the NHS is carved up for sale. We can afford to keep it, just remove politicians from there suffocating control of the service. It is a service to the community not a business.

We can afford it , we just need to rid ourselves of politicians who historically have mis-managed it for years.

This current lot have mismanaged the economy and dumped honest working people with the cost of their failures. I wrote a while ago of my shame at the world being left to our children and grandchildren and this is further evidence of the mess they will inherit from us.

ANDREW WILCOX

Address supplied

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