£20 billion solve all the problems of the NHS?

Government to fund and protect our precious NHS instead of applying what little skill they have in reining in fiscal negligence and abuse. We need a backto-basics review of suppliers and their charges. Those found to be overcharging should be struck off approved lists and be required to reimburse overpayments. I have spent decades helping ailing and failing companies and have heard just about every excuse as to why things can’t be done differently.

PETER WILCOX, Oxted, Surrey.

HOSPITAL managers must be rubbing their hands at the idea of £20 billion. Doubles and pay rises all round.

GRAEME HUDSON, Cardiff. THE NHS needs a successful businessman to run it. Someone who will trim unnecessary staff and create a slimmed-down, efficient service. But instead the NHS is a bottomless pit. I object to paying an extra tax because it could be used to appoint more managers instead of being spent at the sharp end where it is needed.

J. HAWKINS, Bristol.

I CAN’T believe £640 million is spent by the NHS on management consultants to advise hospitals how to spend less money! They could start by making themselves redundant and saving the NHS all that money at a stroke.

A. MIDGLEY, Tottington, Gtr Manchester. WHEN I see the NHS cutting down on managers, health tourism and cosmetic surgery, reusing medical equipment such as crutches, holding PFI to account and shopping around for the best deals, I’ll be happy to pay more tax.

M. WIEDMAN, Hemel Hempstead, Herts.

RATHER than pour more millions into the NHS, it would be more practical to overhaul a system overwhelmed by people living longer and immigration.

F. HARMSEN, La Greze, France. REDUCE foreign aid, bloated salaries of managers and the number of penpushers and revise the purchasing chaos. Bring back old-style matrons. Job done.

P. J. F. WOODSFORD, Folkestone, Kent.