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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 7 December 2007

In praise of the health service, if not its food!

• FROM time to time we see letters or articles critical of the NHS and social services.
I would like to put things into perspective by relating my experiences.
Earlier this year, my wife and I were involved in a road traffic incident in which we received severe injuries.
My wife was hospitalised for seven weeks and I for three weeks at University College Hospital in Euston Road.
The treatment and care we received was excellent; every one of the staff right across the board was friendly and efficient.
The only criticism we could make was concerning the food which, of course, was supplied by a private contractor.
This is a warning of what privatisation means, profit before service. When we were discharged, the social services, care assistants, physiotherapists and occupational therapists saw that everything we needed was supplied promptly, by equally friendly and efficient drivers.
Just like the staff in the hospital, they all made us feel as though we were the only ones they were looking after. We could not have been better cared for.
All this by underpaid and overworked staff.
Just imagine what it would be like if they were all paid decent wages and the NHS didn’t have to meet business targets.
The hospital should not have to rely on agency staff.
If the nurses were paid more, they could afford to live nearer their place of work.
The original nurses’ hostel in Tottenham Court Road was closed and turned into a luxury hotel.
Instead of closing wards and reducing the number of beds, the authorities should be reducing the administration and paperwork.
Then we would hear of more experiences like ours, and less like those we occasionally read about.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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