Who cares?

WITH thousands marching against hospital funding cuts, a safety warning from a leading hospital inspector and Bruce Forsyth returning home after spending time in intensive care, last week was a week to debate NHS-related issues.

For me, it was a week when I was admitted to a local hospital for emergency treatment.

During my six- day stay, I found friendly, helpful, caring staff. However, it was obvious that some patients across the various wards I was moved between had been in the hospital for some time as they waited for a place and a care plan to be arranged at a residential care home.

Our lack of after-care is shocking. Those in their mature years deserve better. We must provide adequate after-care facilities or our hospitals will be bed-blocking areas for those stuck in social care queues.

I would like us to adopt Ukip’s proposals of an additional annual £3 billion funding for the NHS — with an extra annual £1.2 billion assigned for social care.

In the week the High Speed 2 rail project received royal assent (construction will start in a few months), it seems crazy to have committed vast amounts of public money towards this £63 billion project yet reduced funding for social care.

Many elderly people cannot cope with being in hospital and may be unsure as to where they may end up. Is this acceptable?

MARK TAYLOR, Coventry.