In a sickly state under the Tories

■ IT is becoming clear the Tories have cut our services to the bone and it is even harder to see your GP. Our practice is pretty good but I rang at 8.30am when the lines opened and was greeted by “You are number 28 in the queue, press one to retain your position, we will ring you when you are at the front”.

Reading between the lines, we are desperately short of doctors. It seems you can’t be ill under the Tories. Labour have got years of work ahead to unravel this mess. Dave Mellor, Warrington, Cheshire

■ Why are each of the GPs in my practice only offering appointments for two or three days a week? It has 20,000 registered patients with nine doctors, all part-timers, and getting seen is extremely difficult. I understand the practice is paid per registered patient – why isn’t it paid per appointment?

The practice has several nurses and administrators who cannot give appointments as they are only available by phone.

I can see where the NHS money is going but this seems to form a barrier between patients and doctors and, in effect, hides the

fact doctors are all part-timers. Terry Marriott Waterlooville, Hants

■ Since the Tories came to power they have been discouraging young people from studying to be a doctor or nurse. Our NHS is now short of medical staff and its hitting those who need a doctor. This is a deliberate attempt to run down our health service. If the Tories are re-elected at the general election they would introduce private healthcare slowly but surely, and the insurance firms would love it as more money would go to shareholders yet again. Tony Howard, Salford

■ Recently my wife and I needed appointments at our surgery, and after getting a call back, we got appointments later that day. We arrived at the surgery to find the waiting room empty.

After waiting a few minutes we were told to go upstairs to the other waiting room, also empty. My wife was called in and when she came out I went in. When we left, the room was still empty. We had been in the surgery at least 30 minutes and no one came in or out.

There are eight doctors so you would expect to see more patients than we did. Are doctors only working with NHS patients half the day and the other half with private ones? Something’s not right. Stuart Taylor, Rugby, Warwickshire

■ It is alarming to learn that 400 pharmacies in England have closed in five years. This is a trend that the Government must halt since their significance cannot be overlooked – they play a fundamental role in maintaining people’s health. The Government’s scheme to get pharmacies to relieve the burden on surgeries will not be sustainable unless something is done before it gets worse. M Smith, Chatham, Kent

■ Not being able to get a face-toface appointment with a GP is bad enough, but now it’s impossible to get a phone call with one. To make an appointment you have to fill in a form online and even then they take days to get back to you.

The system is broken and more people’s health will decline as they don’t get the help they need. I miss being able to talk to a GP in person and explain what the problem is. Sheila Dawson

Solihull, West Midlands