NHS commission is sorely needed

WHEN we reach the age of 70 we look back on our lives with mixed feelings. Some times were good but on other occasions things went wrong.

Decisions had to be made in the light of events at the time and some of these were the wrong ones. Nothing can be done about the past but these experiences can determine how to move forward.

Happy 70th NHS. I have always championed the NHS and have personally benefitted from it on a number of occasions as have my family.

I am sick to death of all parties playing ya boo politics with the NHS without solving anything.

Over the years, living in different parts of the UK, I have come across wastage, malpractice, cover-ups, milking the system and complete disregard for patients.

Some of these I have actually fought and received results but on others I have been thwarted.

I will not give specific cases otherwise my sources could be compromised, but many working in the NHS would in private agree with me but are frightened to blow the whistle.

Many now agree that the sensible way out of the current problems is to set up a commission, free of politics, to map a suitable way forward.

Such results it comes up with should be adopted in its entirety without delay and political interference. The problem would be who to appoint to this commission without any vested interests.

For the present may I suggest that to solve the immediate problem of staff shortages training fees for doctors and nurses are scrapped.

This would lessen the demand for higher wages needed to cover the cost of fees.

The armed forces train their people in-house without charging fees, why can’t the NHS?

Many of the newer hospitals are fettered by the ongoing costs of PFI.

In a one-off hit the companies concerned should be paid off and their contracts cancelled.

BRIAN TAYLOR, North Shields