MR RUTHERFORD’S report on NHS staff “facing radical changes in working life” is frankly frightening.

All such staff, not only medical and nursing, have for years been working under pressure that others outside the front line of the public sector would not. Those services – like an insurance policy just have to be there when they are needed!

In this report there was no mention whatsoever of how patients, acute or chronic, would continue to receive adequate and appropriate care under these proposals.

I submit that those who feel motivated to endorse my comments would be reluctant because of obvious repercussions. Then, there are those who cannot be bothered and rely upon others to do it for them.

Perhaps Mr Rutherford would care to investigate how many frontline staff posts, in health, police, fire, education have been removed in the ‘ConDem’ swathe of cuts to support incompetent bankers and, how many management posts have been created to organise such a process.

The public has relied upon an incalculable amount of goodwill from these people, many of whom are paid what many would deem to be a pittance. Nevertheless they carry on, caring in their individual way for those who receive their support despite ever-decreasing levels of morale that no level of management ever addresses, only to be the recipients of criticism by those who do not look below the surface.

Nigel Pearce Risca