LETTERS

Nightmare in A&E

NHS adviser Dr Helen Thomas must have no experience of A&E or she would not have made such ridiculous comments about people turning up for trivial reasons.

My husband has a serious and incurable disease, so we have been unfortunate enough to have to attend A&E on many occasions. It has been by turns terrifying and mind-numbingly boring.

Who would choose to spend hours in a room staring at a wall while all around you there are people screaming and shouting?

As for people taking sandwiches to A&E, it’s probably because they have been there before and know there are few facilities available.

A. FREEMAN, Bletchley, Bucks. I AGREE that the NHS administration is clueless (Letters).

Years ago, when I needed to have a wart removed, I received one letter from the doctor. Recently, when I needed the same procedure again, I received 11 letters. KEITH THOMPSON, Warrington, Cheshire.

Continental drift

WHAT plans is the EU making for its own organisation post Brexit? Precious little, I suspect.

If a company loses one-sixth of its income, it would have to cull its workforce, shut part of its premises and cut other expenditure — or hopefully increase the contributions from remaining members by 20 per cent. Could this have anything to do with the faceless ones in Brussels dragging their feet? T. N. BALMER, Sicklinghall, N. Yorks. THE Prime Minister is right to offer our European neighbours friendship, co-operation and free trade — not to mention the huge sum of £20 billion for which we are being blackmailed. Sadly, in return she can expect just greed, rejection and nastiness. DAVID WHITE, Herne Bay, Kent.

Short-changed

EC PRESIDENT Jean- Claude Juncker says the UK is leaving the pub without paying its corner.

That’s rich when there’s 27 in the round and the vast majority have never been to the bar, but are glad to get plenty of free drinks down them.

Then they have the audacity to point fingers at us as we close the door behind us.

T. COATES, Birmingham. IT’S a pity Parliament will be dominated by Brexit for the indefinite future. It has so much else it should be dealing with, such as one million people dependent on food banks and a crisis in our public services.

DENNIS JAMES, Stafford.

Delays on the line

I WAS not surprised about the broken promise for high-speed trains serving Hastings (Letters).

Southern Rail provides a dire service, with trains from Eastbourne and Hastings linking up with trains from Littlehampton, Worthing and Hove at Haywards Heath before going on to London Victoria.

I’ve lost count of the number of times one half of the train has been left waiting because the other half has been delayed.

Southern passengers are facing decades of slow, stopping trains from the South Coast, with no apparent plans or budget to improve our lot. And still the RMT dispute drags on, after 20 months of disruption. JACQUELINE MOGER, East Preston, W. Sussex.

I do? I don’t!

THE author Peter Lloyd is right that controlling wives and vengeful divorces are putting men off getting married (Femail).

Six years after their break-up, my son is still getting aggro from his ex.

He lives in a poky flat and has financial problems because of the terms of the divorce, but at least he sees his children. He did all the right things, but the law is unwaveringly on the side of the woman.

He is so afraid of forming another relationship that he is resigned to being single.

Name and address supplied.

Tough love

WELL done to Dandelion Education nursery (Mail). Children need to play outside in all weathers and to run around instead of being cooped up in centrally heated playrooms.

If they fall, they will learn to pick themselves up and carry on.

If we had more nurseries like this, children would not only go to school with a healthy immune system, but be good at problem solving, sharing and not afraid to get their hands dirty.

JEAN RENNIE, Rochdale, Gtr Manchester.

Save the economy

MANY who have significant savings will see predicted rises in interest rates as an overdue restoration of a fairer deal for savers. I beg to differ.

Those who expect a substantial risk-free return are deluded. This oxymoron is only made possible by the Financial Services Compensation

Scheme guarantee of up to £85,000, meaning the risk is borne by the taxpayer.

If interest rates do go up, it would be appropriate for much of the increase to go to the Treasury in fees for this.

Savers are shirking their proper role in the economy.

Suppose we had buy-to-let landlords who were looking for a modest improvement over the paltry 1 per cent return they are getting on a savings account, instead of borrow- to- buy- to- let landlords who are struggling to service their debt at interest rates of 5 per cent or more.

Wouldn’t that go some way towards addressing the problem of sky-high rents?

Rather than lending to house buyers, savers could invest directly in buy-to-let property as sole owners, with a consortium or through shares in housing companies. Such a change would take the risk-averse outside their comfort zone.

But we view it as good sense, and worthy of government help, for a couple to buy a house when their joint income amounts to only 1/20th of the property’s value.

By turning lenders into landlords and borrowers into tenants we could reduce rents, debt and the risk of bankruptcy, defaulting and economic crash. JOHN RISELEY, Harrogate, N. Yorks.

Unique insight

AT LAST: someone who doesn’t want a cure for autism.

In his recent TV programme, Chris Packham spoke movingly about having Asperger’s and the problems he faces. But he also described the benefits of being ‘different’.

My seven-year-old grandson has high-functioning autism and has difficulties with social interactions, but I wouldn’t change him for a moment.

The way he views the world is unique, and I have learned a lot from him.

DIANA JACKSON, Chelmondiston, Suffolk.