Letters - Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Let me get this right.

Reading about the high volume of unwell patients waiting to be seen at Blackpool Victoria hospital (‘Critical incident declared at hospital’, The Gazette October 30) I had to look twice to see if I had read it correctly when it was reported that (quote) “Vic bosses recently installed a new audio system which airs ‘subtle’ messages in various accents” to encourage alternative services for patients.

Does this mean patients waiting hear several accents of the same message, a bit like result announcements in different foreign languages at the Eurovision Song Contest?!?

How on earth does this work and how can patients waiting not understand plain spoken English.

So in a Geordie accent it could be something like “Why man, yeh shud try the waak-in centa just doon the roed!”

Clifford Chambers

Blackpool

SOCIAL CARE

Most care homes private

In response to John Bolton’s letter (Your Say, Monday October 23), I don’t know if you are aware that the majority of care homes are now privately owned so you can’t blame the Government for under staffing and low pay in these private homes.

I know that in the past Lancashire County Council (LCC) care homes had a good pay structure, health and safety measures and a good LCC pension but now not so many of these are left.

I know that LCC carry out Care Quality Inspections to all care homes to check on standards of care provided but probably not since 2019 before the pandemic.

The other point mentioned protective equipment. I should assume that the owners of these homes should have basic protective gear given the nature of duties they provide.

Yes, the Government was slow to get the equipment up and running but I think initially it had a lot to consider and with the money these private homes charge, they should have been getting involved themselves with the equipment to protect their staff and residents.

I admit the Government has made some slip-ups but I am still not convinced the other political parties could have done any better. In my opinion, they more than likely would have been much worse.

However, I do think Boris is not fulfilling his pledge to address the social care system as many of the older generation have paid in a lifetime of taxes and National Insurance throughout their lives only to have it taken from them should they need care in their old age. Even the state pension in this country is the worst in Europe, so a warning to the Government – don’t forget the older generation as you may not be as lucky at the next election.

Address supplied

ENVIRONMENT

Too many cars on our roads

The increasing number of private cars on our roads brings to mind the Second World War posters, stating: “Is your journey really necessary?”

Quite often these vehicles have only been driven to and from the supermarket or used for the school run.

Most of us live within close reach of a railway station or bus route, yet the soaring cost of fuel does not appear to make these options attractive to drivers.

Nothing short of a tsunami will force these vehicles off our roads.

What things are going to be like in five or 10 years time does not bear thinking about, not to mention the irreparable damage to the environment.

Mr A Shipman

via email

ENVIRONMENT

HS2 v rewilding

How does Boris Johnson’s vision of rewilding Britain fit in to the thousands of acres of good agricultural land, woodland and houses being bulldozed for the neither use nor ornament HS2?

Barrie Crowther

via email

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