NHS heroes

sir – When will the wonderful, hard-working people who keep the NHS functioning on a daily basis get the recognition they deserve? The description of the NHS as an “enemy” of British patients (Comment, April 10) must be so demoralising for those who work tirelessly under dreadful pressures.

My husband and I have received nothing but excellent care from our GPs and local hospital staff whenever we have had cause to visit. Laura Madden

Broughton Astley, Leicestershire sir – The letter (April 12) from Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of

NHS Providers, is simply another plea from another NHS bureaucrat for more money. She states: “Our healthcare system has been given fewer resources than those of similar countries.” Where is her evidence?

Perhaps if less money was spent on organisations such as NHS Providers (what exactly does it do?), along with diversity training, compliance officers and old-fashioned, expensive paperbased record-keeping and communications, there would be more to devote to front-line services. Alan Law Streatley, Berkshire sir – Here in Spain all our communications with the NHS are digital (Letters, April 9).

I am at a loss as to how people can be missing hospital appointments because their letters aren’t arriving on time, given that the waiting lists are so long. Jane Eyles

Mahón, Menorca, Spain sir – Following a referral, I received a letter asking me to contact the hospital if I hadn’t heard anything by a particular date.

When I heard nothing, I duly rang the phone number provided. After a wait of about 45 minutes I was told it was the wrong number and was given the correct one.

After another long delay I was finally informed that there would be a one-year wait for an appointment. What a waste of time and effort for everyone. Gill Tomkins

Bourne End, Buckinghamshire