The banks’ role in the economy, nuclear power, free NHS prescriptions and a terrible night at A&E all exercise today’s letter writers.
Banks’ reticence slowing economic recovery Sir Your report (March 19) once again highlighted that mortgage lending is in the doldrums.
This is no surprise and the ones to blame are the lenders.
I was made redundant late last year but luckily am now contracting in Edinburgh, coincidentally earning more than I did as a permanent employee.
I was looking to extend my mortgage loan to release some funds and so naturally went to my current building society.
The only product they could offer was a tracker at a ridiculous 5.99% rate. The Bank of England base rate has been at 0.5% for over 18 months, yet the society is looking to make 5.49% from me.
Not only that, my repayment record has been unblemished the entire 20 years, yet the building society took one look at my job situation and instantly turned me down.
For some unknown reason, banks and building societies are making it as hard as possible to borrow money.
People cannot buy or sell their houses, causing the rental market to go through the roof.
Given the banks caused this mess, they are now actively failing in their duty to help rebuild society.
Duncan Watson.1 Ballumbie Farm Cottages,Ballumbie,Dundee.
Free prescriptions save NHS cash
Sir With reference to Scottish Conservative objections to free prescriptions (March 19), Murdo Fraser, in his address to his party’s conference in Perth, seems to have forgotten one of the founding principles of the National Health Service that care is free at the point of delivery.
His assertion that we cannot afford to let working people have their medicines for nothing is incredulous given his support and backing for the private healthcare run Scottish Regional Treatment Centre at Stracathro Hospital that saw NHS money finding its way to shareholders.
That was money that, to borrow part of Mr Fraser’s statement to the conference, “could have been spent elsewhere maintaining and enhancing frontline services”.
He, and others of his view, need to ask themselves where will this all end. Will we see means testing in the NHS and the establishment of a two-tier system, for those that can and for those who cannot pay?
Prior to his speech, Mr Fraser would have been well advised to spend some time researching the health-gains or benefits that may occur as a consequence of having free prescriptions.
In my opinion, free prescriptions increase compliance in taking of the medicines prescribed which, in turn, leads to earlier improvement and/or resolution of illnesses with fewer return visits to GPs.
This, in effect, saves the NHS money. It is money well spent.
Ronald N. Macdonald.28 Church Street,Carnoustie.
Nuclear risks are overstated
Sir The nuclear industry suffers from the same problem as the aviation industry. It is statistically by far the safest way to generate electricity, just as flying is also statistically the safest way to travel. But when accidents do happen, they attract worldwide attention.
In 1977, two passenger aircraft collided at Tenerife, killing 583 people the world’s worst air disaster.
But we still all willingly and trustingly travel by air.
Malcolm Parkin.15 Gamekeepers Road,Kinnesswood,Kinross.
Eliminating radiation threat
Sir In theory, the Japan nuclear reactors emergency could last for 250,000 years until the radiation becomes non lethal and people can approach them.
Who knows how much civilisation will have changed over such a timescale but, clearly, the reactors cannot be allowed to pollute the atmosphere for a quarter of a million years.
One solution would be to excavate a chamber below them and then to bury the reactors by exploding an atomic bomb in it.
The UK’s nuclear programme should include such chambers in case we ever face a similar crisis.
Angus Ramsay.34 Kings Road,Rosyth.
Disgraceful night in A&E
Sir I had to rush my wife into hospital with severe stomach pains late on Sunday night. When we arrived, there were drunken, battered humans in abundance.
One man was so drunk two security guards had to stay with him. He was not violent but would not identify himself.
He tried to leave on numerous occasions until the police had to be called because the hospital could not let him go while drunk and incapable.
A doctor managed to examine him eventually and wanted to admit him overnight as he had blood running out of his ear. This man would have none of it, however, and insisted he was taken home. The police eventually spirited him away.
Meanwhile, my wife had to suffer doubled up in agony for three hours before she got morphine because of people like that.
That incident alone tied up two security guards, two police officers and two medical staff for the best part of an hour and a half.
When the staff nurse managed to attend to my wife I asked her if this was a normal weekend at the A&E and she shook her head. She said this was normal every night.
This is only one of many incidents. Like most people, I guess I had little idea others could behave like this in a hospital.
My wife was genuinely ill and had to suffer terribly because of these people with their self-inflicted ailments, which invariably gets them to the front of the queue. It is totally unacceptable. The hospital staff are great but it really is high time the government did something to support them.
Brian Macfarlane.Bridge Cottage,Main Street,Carnock.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.