Medical provision is hi-tech and excellent

Sir, As usual I purchased my Oban Times on Thursday July 27 and, with inimitable unbounded enthusiasm as usual, and cup of tea, proceeded to read the gems of top-notch reports therein, in preparation for our usual Thursday afternoon discussion group.

Of course I eventually came across the readers’ letters page and was absorbing the contents of the first letter, from Mike Foster, and his derogatory remarks about NHS Highland bureaucrats and their inability to organise a skinful in a brewery.

He also made attempts at scornful humour with reference to carrier pigeons and quills.

As I read on, an invisible bubble containing a large question-mark formed above me – lo and behold, a text message on my six-year-old mobile phone arrived, saying, ‘Dear Kenneth, your prescription is now ready to collect. Boots Oban.’

There was not a carrier pigeon or quill in sight.

But it got me thinking. Last week when I made a same-day appointment to see one of Oban’s GPs, I used a reasonably modern communication device referred to in his letter, the telephone.

Does Mr Foster realise that most of us, not all, have multi-frequency buttons on our telephones to help direct our calls at the speed of light and, despite the signal from my phone being directed possibly through Glasgow and back, as the last digit is signalled, the surgery phone rings (unless busy, appropriate tone returned at same speed, that of light). How much faster does he want? On reflection, am I correct when I recall a letter of objection from this gentleman when the large trees were removed from opposite Alma Crescent, opening up stupendous views across our lovely wee town and the reams of objections to the construction of the lovely modern house in front of Ardtornish?

I, like most people, will welcome with open arms people who choose to retire to and enhance our wee town but in this case it begs the question: what was so bad about Worcester that made him choose Oban with all its bad points? Kenny McLennan, Oban.