Letters: December 23, 2016

Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Warnings ignored

MARGARET Griffiths was not alone in her prediction, 17 years ago, that the (then) planned GWH would not have enough beds (SA 19.12.16). The medical staff at PMH also expressed their doubts; and they, too, were ignored.

Sadly, we now find ourselves in the present situation, but the problem goes deeper than the number of hospital beds and the problems are not confined to Swindon.

Patients have difficulty in getting an appointment with their GP – or to see any GP out of hours. Advice (or lack of it) from the 111service or pharmacist may result in them attending the A&E Department.

People are living longer and so are getting more illnesses – particularly those associated with ageing. Many live alone; so are unable to look after themselves when they become ill. Thus, when they arrive in A&E, they need to be admitted (as an emergency).

There is a lack of appropriate care in the community. Home care is in short supply; there is a shortage of social workers and district nurses; and there are rarely vacant beds in residential and nursing homes.

There is a shortage of front line staff in all these sectors; and there is difficulty in recruitment.

There is, also, a problem with recruitment, and retention, of doctors and nurses in both hospitals and general practice.

It is easy to identify the problems; though it would appear that politicians (both MPs and local councillors), and senior management have only just begun to accept that there is a problem – in spite of warnings from the professions.

It is difficult to see a short-term solution – other than the expensive use of agency staff (and agencies, too, sometimes have difficulty in meeting the demand).

The long-term solution requires a comprehensive review of the way we organise both health and social services – and the way they are funded.

MALCOLM MORRISON

Retired surgeon

Prospect Hill

Swindon

....

Reducing sugar

THE Lancet report last week saying that the UK sugar tax could reduce the number of obese people by 144,000 is all theory, and none of it relates to the real world.

The researchers say that drinks manufacturers can reformulate (remove sugar from) their products so that this 144,000 figure can be achieved.

There is just one slight problem with that – most of the reformulation on soft drinks has already been completed.

There is very little scope for further reformulation. How could the researchers and the ‘experts’ not be aware of this?

Sugar taxes haven’t led to reductions in obesity anywhere in the world.

They may have persuaded a few people to switch from fizzy drinks, but that’s not the same as reducing obesity.

Taxes don’t make people healthier, they just make them poorer. Residents in Swindon deserve better.

BROOK WHELAN

Chief Executive, People Against Sugar Tax, Brook Street

London

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Listen to others

I’VE written a short book titled “Swindon Sketches” and in it I record the other Swindon, the homeless, the unemployed and underemployed, the youth, the women in Old Town and the people of Broadgreen.

These people are telling us their story and we can learn a lot from them. For example, the women in Old Town are an indication of unhappy homes. They came out of relationship with or without children. Now they are actively seeking love.

The homeless people I spoke to were smart and had good careers before. What, then, went wrong?

That is the thesis of my book. It’s free to people who want to understand and change our town for the better. One of the good things I’ve learnt in the last four years is one person can really change things in little ways.

Whether it is volunteering for a charity, cleaning your path to work or speaking on behalf of the forgotten, the homeless, the youth and the oppressed. We can all contribute in a good way.

AXMED BAHJAD

Fleet Street

Swindon

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Scottish blood

MAY I thank Ron Burchill and Chris Gleed for their delightful sense of humour sent to these pages? I know the letters pages are a serious matter of debate, as well as taking the Grand Poobahs to task. I often wonder how many times they spill their cornflakes when they read their falsehoods in print.

However as it is nearly Christmas, may I attempt to add to that criteria?

There is a strong rumour coming from the Scottish Highlands that a very rich individual became seriously ill while visiting Scotland. Only a blood transfusion could save him.

He had a rare blood group. After a worldwide search from his vast entourage of paid flunkeys, they found an old Scottish crofter had a match. After the old crofter saved his life by giving blood, he sent him £1m.

On the magnate’s second visit to Scotland he became seriously ill once again. The old crofter saved his life for the second time. The billionaire then sent him a can of beans and photo of Alex Salmond. On the crofter’s outrage at this financial insult, the reply was “What do you expect now that I have Scottish blood in my veins?”

BILL WILLIAMS

Merlin Way

Covingham

Swindon

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Not so badly needed

I KNOW how Chris Gleed feels when his wife didn’t appreciate the tin of paint he bought her for Christmas after she asked for something in silk (letters 17th December).

I took notice this year when my wife said the bedroom needed decorating badly. So while she was away one weekend I did it as badly as I could and she still wasn’t happy.

D WALLIS

The Gardens, Heddington,Calne

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Lost bag returned

HAVING lost my handbag in the town centre on Saturday last, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all those involved in its safe return.

Thanks to the gentleman who picked up my bag and handed it to a policewoman. Thanks to that very pleasant lady for tracing my address and telephone number, calling me to say that the bag had been found. Thanks to the lovely lady on 101 at Wiltshire Police HQ,

Thanks to the helpful bank staff regarding stopping my cards. Thanks to the bus driver for letting me board the bus without my pass.

At this special time of year it is wonderful to know that there are so many lovely people out there, kind-hearted and professional, keen to be of service to the community.

ONE LUCKY LINDA

Grange Park, Swindon

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Meddling royals

Re: Royals aren’t rogues. (Adver. 15/12/16)

Des Morgan confesses that “he has indeed read Down With The Royals.”

Why then does he continue with the nonsense that the Queen is a Constitutional monarch who ‘never meddles in politics’ after having read the evidence?

Recent history (that is from the 18th century onwards) reveals numbers of so-called Constitutional monarchs who meddled in politics.

He says he found the book “not especially informative.” Informative enough it seems to have thoroughly demolished his spurious argument that the Queen never meddles in politics.

JEFF ADAMS

Bloomsbury

Swindon