WITH most sections of today's media both nationally and locally constantly knocking and attacking the NHS which I think is most unfair, so I now write to the defence of our health services and I think that the public should have the following facts, which are completely true - they are:-

1. Since the NHS was formed thanks to the brainchild of the late Anuean Bevan drastic changes have taken place. The population of the UK has very drastically increased especially in recent years with vast numbers of immigrants both legal and illegal who once they are on our soil can claim the benefits of the NHS.

2. In recent years very much advanced and expensive medical surgery has made these operations possible in the cause of life savers for many patients.

3. Thanks to modern medical techniques the population is getting older with the elderly population receiving the medical care they need to help improving their quality of life.

4. Medical advances and researches are not cheap making operations and other medical treatments very much more expensive than they used to be. Together with the training of surgeons costs so very high enabling them all to carry out their duties in such very skilled precision.

5. With thousands and thousands of patients who need to see their GO or the services of the accident and emergencies already stretched to their limit it is no wonder that frustrations and bad feeling develop which the press and media pounce upon to expose these conditions, very often blown up.

So come on let's have no more attacks from the media of our health service which we as a nation should be very proud of.

After all we should not forget the very dedicated nurses and surgeons also GPs who work so very tirelessly in some cases very difficult and outdated premises they are all to be thanked for all that they do on our behalf.

In my own experiences the NHS has saved my life three times. So I say thank you NHS.

I hope that this letter will help to show the NHS in a better picture than that they have heard of in both television and national and local press. I hope so so please keep calm and carry on.

DEREK NEWSHAM Harvington