Dear Editor,

At a street fair and festival in Taunton not long ago, there was a tree walking about. We know, of course, there was someone in it, causing it to walk among the people. But they dare not look at it; like it was some god amongst them they could not bear to look at.

A pageant was envisaged for Wellington for this year’s Summer Solstice, which would generate this close connection with nature. It would have in the line-up, a Bird Man, a Green Man, flower fairies, musicians, singers, and Morris Dancers (walking, but would later demonstrate this ancient tradition). But the most significant part that people, it seems, would not be able to face, was this ultimate connection with nature on a deep unconscious level: men in ordinary clothes that wore the head of a large animal, like a pig or horse.

It is this unsettling feeling we need to confront and accept. Then we would not only love nature, but really know we are part of nature.

Protection of the planet was the aim of the pageant, but because some people felt so uneasy about it, it has unfortunately been called off. Perhaps we are not yet ready to come to terms with that most deep unconscious feeling; awe of nature at this fundamental level.

John Jarrett

Dear Editor,

I’m writing in response to the editorial in last week’s Wellington Weekly which heavily criticised the NHS because it was completely at odds with my recent experience and that of a friend.

Without any warning I blacked out and when I came to on the floor I realised that I felt extremely unwell so I dialled 999. The care I received was excellent from the 999 operator who realising I was on my own, as my husband was out shopping, immediately said "I will stay on the phone with you until I can speak to your husband". Given how ill I was feeling this was immensely reassuring and we talked until my husband was by my side. Then because the paramedics couldn’t reach me very quickly the 999 operator sent a nurse to stay with me until they arrived and with her I felt safe and cared for as she talked to me.

When the paramedics arrived and carried out an ECG and various tests they were able to diagnose that I had a serious electrical malfunction in my heart and I was taken by blue light ambulance straight into Resus at Musgrove. The care I received there was kind, thoughtful and reassuring and because it was thought I had broken a rib in falling an X-Ray machine was brought into Resus and my chest was x-rayed; fortunately nothing was broken.

On being taken into the Coronary Care Unit and a few days later fitted with a pacemaker the excellent and considerate care continued. This included the wonderful kindness I received from the Night Shift nurses when twice I woke in a panic very frightened as I tried to come to terms with what had happened to me.

I also want to say that all the staff were excellent and many came from other parts of the world and without them making the decision to leave their homes and families to work in the NHS it wouldn’t be able to function at the high level that it does.

We are unbelievably fortunate to have an NHS which is free at the point of delivery and which works closely with local universities, in our case Bristol, to train the nurses and medical staff needed to run the NHS.

Regards,

Carole Lomas

Wellington

The government has promised to reduce NHS hospital waiting lists. Are they right? Is it happening?

Sadly the obverse is happening by the increased length of time we patients are given at our medical centre before being put on the waiting list, to receive a telephone appointment or meeting face to face with the GP.

I understand this is because the Wellington Medical Centre operate the triage system. Having queued to reach the reception, hoping to save time, by handing in a confidential written note for the doctor, explaining one’s medical need, the reception tells me no paper work is allowed across the screen. Instead one is obliged to explain publicly in detail the necessity for an appointment. This request is then recorded on the computer, for the receptionist to list the level of priority on the doctor’s waiting list, according to the urgency or seriousness for an appointment. An appointment can now take several weeks before that telephone call is made to indicate when the doctor will ring.

That is how the only NHS medical practice is working here in Wellington. But the government want more houses built around our towns, but with no provision for either more medical or dental practices or schools for new residents. Perhaps the Health Secretary could do some joined up thinking.

We understand how GPs are overloaded in their surgeries, because we have an ageing population. I am not alone in experiencing these delaying tactics operated by the triage system. I think other readers can tell similar stories. Triage tries the patience of patients!

Isabel Ward