NHS care for life

SIR – The Queen’s Speech next week should establish a Royal Commission on the NHS and care for the elderly.

It should be set up as a concurrent series of committees to examine all aspects of both provisions, and should be prepared to adopt the best practices from across the world. One aspect that demands inspection is administration. Funding must also be addressed.

The original mandate for the NHS was care “from the cradle to the grave”. Somehow, the “to the grave” part has been detached. As the decision to place people in care is usually a medical one, it makes sense for the continuing care to be under the auspices of the NHS. Implementing this would finally put to bed the eternal bickering over the role of the NHS in elderly care. Clive Williams

Coedpoeth, Denbighshire

SIR – What is the use of a National Health Service “free at the point of delivery” if there is no delivery? John Curran

Bristol