I’m still here thanks to NHS rainbow nation

THe Thursday before last, I couldn’t breathe and thought I was having my ninth heart attack in four years. I had collapsed on the floor, lungs bursting, with no voice to call my wife.

When she woke at 7am she rang 999 and I was taken to northampton General Hospital. a&e there was packed to the gunwales but I was seen by a doctor within 40 minutes, then by a consultant who took bloods and had me scanned.

The scan confirmed a chest infection verging on pneumonia and I was given a massive dose of penicillin, which worked a treat.

a second consultant was worried that I had kidney damage but more tests revealed none. Then a third doctor feared I’d had a heart attack, which proved unfounded. I was discharged at 10pm.

all the nurses who dealt with me were from overseas backgrounds and the doctors were all Southeast asians. The nHS couldn’t cope without this wonderful, brilliant rainbow nation of medics. Thank you all so much. I owe you my life.

JOHN WRIGHT, Northampton.

Now it’s personal

reaDInG peter Hitchens’s article (Mail) about the friends actor Matthew perry and his reaction when challenged or contradicted reminded me of a quote from Margaret Thatcher: ‘I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.’

This applies to so many situations today, particularly in our parliament, where reasoned debate and order hardly exist.

ROBeRT CLeGG, Plymouth.

Jungle jaunt

I learnT from the Mail last week that for his TV jungle appearance, Matt Hancock will receive a sixfigure fee. another report said he would be ‘donating to St nicholas Hospice Care in Suffolk and causes supporting dyslexia’.

I’m looking for the word ‘it’ in the sentence above.

IAN MacDONALD,

Billericay, essex. I aDMIre Matt Hancock for his promotion of the dyslexia campaign. But I can’t see how flying thousands of miles and eating a kangaroo’s penis will help.

W. THORNe, Ilkley, W. Yorks.

Stay out of here!

THe BBC is obsessed with bad news but in our tranquil, friendly area there is great news. Having been subjected for two years to ant and Dec’s cruel, degrading human circus I’m a Celebrity . . . Get Me out of Here! we can at last celebrate that it is as far away from us and Gwrych Castle as geographically possible. please, not in our back yard again. BRIAN CHRISTIe,

Abergele, Conwy.

Yes to ID cards

one key attraction of the Uk for illegal immigrants is our refusal, as a freedom-loving nation, to introduce identity cards.

But if everyone entitled to live here had an ID card containing the data needed to access everything from benefits to bus passes, we could sort out who shouldn’t be here. I hate the thought of it but the time has come.

J. M. HAINeS, Spaldwick, Cambs.

Car concerns

In replY to adrian Walton (letters), big cars generally pay more road tax already. More and more of them, especially SUVs, cost over £40,000 new, meaning road tax of an extra £355 for five years.

TONY FOOT, Mosterton, Dorset. I aGree with Mr Walton about the size of cars today. However, a heavier electric car doesn’t make more pollution when braking.

Because of the power regeneration, brakes are used very little when you take your foot off the accelerator. My electric car, admittedly a small hatchback, still had its first brake pads, with 34 per cent wear left, after 27,000 miles.

TONY LAYCOCK, Sheffield.

Drain on NHS

anoTHer £7 billion for the nHS is ridiculous. I worked in the Hospital Service for more than 45 years and the increase in the number of managers during that time was frightening. They create work for each other and are often a burden to the poorly paid frontline staff. The nHS could easily sack 20 per cent of them.

Dr STeVe BReNNAN,

Thornhill, Derbys. If eVerY hospital, surgery and clinic turned its thermostat down one or two degrees, the nHS would save money and patients would feel far more comfortable.

JANeT PRINCe, Bournemouth.

Mind your language

HannaH BeTTS’S overuse of swearing (Mail) contributes to the dumbing down of our language. I spent most of my working life in an environment where swearing was rife, although one or two people were brave exceptions.

once I’d retired, it struck me that if those people had ever sworn, it would have signified far more. I now try hard to minimise my use of bad language.

PeTeR FISHeR, Oakham, Rutland.

Turkey twist

I TrIeD to order my Christmas turkey from Waitrose but was told I could only do this online.

I explained that I’m 77 and don’t have a computer. They gave me a number to ring, so I did — only to be told that I couldn’t order unless I could use my phone as a computer. Happy Christmas.

D. FAWCeTT, Weybridge, Surrey.

What the lady loves

MarS is dropping Bounty bars from boxes of Celebrations (Mail) at the request of customers. I wish Cadbury would follow their example and ask us what we like.

I hadn’t had Milk Tray for years and was disappointed last time to find the Turkish delight gone.

I would love a visit from the Milk Tray man but quite honestly, if he doesn’t have a lime barrel, he can sling his hook.

J. GReeN, Burton upon Trent, Staffs.