Dear Mr Reid,
I must thank you for all your replies to mine and Beryl's letters. Strange how the thought of publication galvanises....
The quote below is gobsmacking!
Al Reid...12 June 2013
"Regarding the English NHS I strongly hold the view that this is a matter for the people of England and their elected representatives and that we Scots should not be interfering in their decision making. That is why I have not devoted much time to that subject, concentrating instead on those issues which do affect my constituents."
You seem to be of the opinion that although you are paid, particularly generously in my opinion, to represent your constituents in Westminster, you feel able to pick and chose in which areas you want to be involved and can justify ignoring the rest. It's comfortable I'm sure, but not acceptable.
I think Beryl has taken you to task in this area too.
Nice work if you can get it Mr Reid!
I previously suspected that you never read any of the information I sent you regarding my concerns about the NHS in England or the knock-on effects I expect in Scotland: and now I am convinced I was correct!
Perhaps Independence from England isn't such a bad idea after all. We would conceiveably be more honestly represented by all our parliamentarians.
Your comments about previous governments using private healthcare services is perfectly valid.
I disagreed with this in the past, so my position hasn't altered. Having worked in the NHS in both England and Scotland for about 40 years, I find it absolutely immoral to allow personal and corporate profit to be made from sickness and disablement. In a Utopian world this would not be possible but we have to live with what we have now. We have a moral duty to strive to improve life for patients now and in the future. Allowing privateers to make huge profits from taxes paid by UK residents, to provide "free" healthcare for all, cannot be condoned. You say that services are still "free" for patients but that is not true. In some areas, some services which were previously provided "free" have now been removed from NHS lists and patients have to "go private". Varicose vein and cataract surgery have been quoted to me but you must have access to much more information than I, and will be able to verify these reports.
Retorts quoting lack of adequate government funds to provide comprehensive healthcare will not wash. Your obfuscations about the £3billion are ridiculous. This money should have been borrowed, as originally promised, and used to fund healthcare services. A penny or two on working peoples' tax is a drop in the ocean. Had this been presented as (reliable) hypothecation to be spent entirely on healthcare, it would have been accepted by the residents of the UK. It is perfectly obvious that the decimation of the NHS is an ideological plan by greedy Tories, which you LibDems should be ashamed of facilitating! In my naïveté I could not at first accept this....but there is no alternative explanation.
Beryl and I are spending unprecedented numbers of hours, voluntarily, attempting to support a local, comprehensive healthcare review in Islay, about which you may or may not be aware. Our commitment to a better future for patients here goes without saying. I hope you will revise your opinion and take some interest in what is happening to patients in your constituency. I assure you that Alex Neil MSP and Michael Russell MSP are involved.
Yours sincerely,
Patricia Farrington.
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