Do not blame people for ‘misusing’ A&E service

THE problems in the A&E departments are caused by lack of staffing, planning, training and, most of all, funding, over many years.

They are not caused by people misusing the service. Ask the front line staff.

Yes, there are idiots. There always have been. But the general public are not medically qualified.

We are scared and unsure. We can’t wait two weeks for a GP appointment.

We over-react and get it wrong. We try and be brave and then get it really wrong and cost the NHS even more.

We have a poorly child and it’s Friday night at 11pm. We have a severe mental health problem and there is nowhere else to turn.

We have severe pain and vomiting and it turns out just to be a 24-hour bug. And yes, we play sport, or we are a 16-yearold who takes a daft risk, or we have one too many and fall off our high heels.

We are 75 and still think we can clear our gutters and then fall off the ladder. It’s Saturday night we feel really, really ill but don’t want to call an ambulance and we die from sepsis!

Stop making people feel guilty for asking for help when they need it.

Put more money into our NHS, both GPs and hospitals.

And, by the way, uninsured foreign nationals account for less than 1% of NHS costs. They don’t get operations unless it is an emergency.

Most immigrants in the NHS are wearing uniforms and saving your life. I WOULD like to express my sincere condolence to the family and friends of Trevor Burgin OBE in Huddersfield and elsewhere. He was a genuine person, always considerate and helpful. He made a significant