Soldiers do not deserve strain of double standards
ImagIne two Servicemen. One is living in ‘primitive’ conditions in the heat and dust of a forward base in afghanistan and is under attack almost daily, involved in numerous contacts with the enemy, firefights and IeD attacks.
He sees comrades killed and, responsible for the lives and wellbeing of the men under his command, i s under constant pressure and strain.
after another ‘normal’ day of patrols i n the heat, dust and danger, he kills a wounded terrorist who had just been trying to kill him and his comrades.
The second wakes up at a reasonable hour in his own home, has breakfast, kisses his wife goodbye and drives through the British countryside to his work, a well-equipped ‘office’ on a secure RaF base, thousands of miles from war, danger and discomfort.
He takes control of a drone flying over Syria, selects his target, fires his missile and kills a man thought to be planning attacks in Britain. The amount of ‘collateral damage’ (civilians, unfortunately for them close to the target) is unknown.
He finishes his day’s work and drives home, has a pint in his local and a nice evening with his family before a peaceful night’s sleep.
The first, a sergeant in the Royal marines, is condemned by the government and the establishment, and sentenced to life imprisonment. The second, an unnamed RaF officer, is applauded by the same establishment.
I have no i ssues with killing terrorists, but I do have issues with the double standards shown by the British government.
Shooting a wounded terrorist was wrong, but it was not murder. That sergeant did not go out on patrol with the intention of killing a wounded man.
But firing a missile at a target without the benefit of a trial and with little consideration for any innocent lives involved is statesanctioned murder.
If politicians who send our forces to fight in wars and the lawyers and solicitors who prosecute Servicemen for doing their duty had to pick up a weapon and fight, their views would be very different. B. M. ‘Geordie’ GiLL (former royal Marine Commando), Princetown, devon. Mrs eLAiNe WALLer,
address supplied.
Cruel assessment
my DaugHTeR Victoria was born on august 30, 1969, which makes her 46. She was severely brain damaged at birth and can’t walk, talk, sit up unaided or see. I was told she wouldn’t live beyond the age of two.
Since all the changes in benefits rules, she’s now on Jobseeker’s allowance. Can Iain Duncan Smith tell me why? I would like to know.
I’m coming up to my 83rd birthday and have cared for Victoria for 36 years on my own — rather longer than mr Cameron had to care for his son, Ivan. BeTTY GreeNHALGH,
Blackburn, Lancs.
Let down by helpline
THIS was my experience of the nHS out-of-hours helpline (mail).
I was staying at a hotel in Drymen, Stirlingshire — the village has a visiting doctor three mornings a week — and reported that I’d been unable to pass water for more than 36 hours and would need a catheter fitted within a few hours.
Reading from a script, the nHS worker asked for my name and address, which I gave — Bideford, Devon eX39 1XF.
To my amazement, he then said: ‘as you are english, you can’t be treated by nHS Scotland; you will have to return to england to be treated by the english nHS.’
He then added: ‘I have a number of questions you must answer so I can decide if you require medical treatment or not.’ Then came the first question: ‘Do you have a rash?’ I repeated that I’d been unable to pass urine. I said if he couldn’t understand this then he should put a doctor on the line. at this point the line went dead.
The next morning, the visiting doctor at Drymen Village Hall called an ambulance which took me to the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital i n Larbert, where a catheter was fitted immediately.
The consultant appeared and I was admitted to a single room on a ward, with nursing staff available 24/7. Discharged five days later, my travel insurance provided a hire car to bring me back home to Devon. BriAN STePHeN THoMSoN,
Westward Ho! devon.
Co-operation is key
ReaDeRS of your article on out- of-hours provision in nHS grampian could be forgiven for being anxious.
For some time, the reality of outof-hours care has been that gPs do not work in isolation, but are supported by multidisciplinary teams of health professionals. These teams provide communities with the care that they need at evenings and weekends. nurses practising at advanced level are a part of those teams. They have cared for patients in hospitals, surgeries and in their own homes for years, working alongside medical colleagues to ensure that patients’ needs are met every time they need help.
But the evolution of such teams has been i n response to l ocal demand rather than as part of a national plan. That i s now changing, with the government looking at ways to deliver quality care to Scotland’s communities through the national Primary Care Out-of-Hours Review.
The focus of our submission to that review was to highlight the role senior nurses already play in teams as clinical decision-makers and the potential contribution they can make to patient care at a national level in future. So to say our submission to that review ‘disclosed’ a shortage of gPs is adding a touch of artistic licence.
For our nHS to be fit for the future we must accept that care, in hospitals, clinics or at home, is best delivered by a team with a mix of disciplines, all working to the full range of their expertise.
Health professionals are already on board, but it is crucial the public continues to have confidence in the way care is provided. THereSA FYFFe, director, royal
College of Nursing Scotland.
A Starr turn
nO doubt Freddie Starr is no angel, but I’m sure he hasn’t done the thing he’s been accused of (mail).
In the early Seventies, I was a cocktail waitress at Winston’s nightclub, where Freddie and his fellow performers would often come when appearing in Bournemouth.
I got to know him and he never drank any alcohol, only orange juice. my daughter was 15 at the time and developed a crush on Freddie when he came to our home, but he never behaved inappropriately towards her.
S. PoUTer, dorchester, dorset.
Selection process
BeFORe the general election, Cabinet Secretary alex neil and former SnP deputy leader Jim Sillars commented on michelle Thomson’s commitment to the support of social justice. education Secretary angela Constance claimed she would make an outstanding mP and Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop referred to her passion to make Scotland a better place.
now we hear from the SnP that ‘there was no understanding, no knowledge of the allegations that have been made’. Does this imply the ringing endorsements were worthless? a bit like the economic arguments for independence?
CAroLe Ford, Glasgow.
Let’s work together
muCH has been made of the Russian intervention in Syria but I agree with Donald Trump that this is the best way forward.
The Free Syrian army is a shambles and ISIS poses a dire threat to the world. The only way forward is a decisive military action working with assad’s government, the Kurds and with coalition forces.
Such action does demand a rethink of Western policy but there can be no other way.
World politicians are going to have to work together on the middle east crisis. Failure to do so could have dire consequences.
ed ArCHer, Lanark.