No bed, no care, no cuppa!

Dear Editor,

I’m writing in response to last week’s Island Soapbox letter, “Patient experience! What experience?” Please do not print my name, as it concerns my husband.
On August 29, my husband was admitted to St Mary’s Hospital via the emergency department after an appointment at the respiratory clinic. Though a bed had been confirmed to the consultant in the clinic, he waited over 20 hours in the emergency department on a hard plastic chair. We declined a narrow consultant bed due to safety concerns – he’s 20 stone and at risk of injury if he fell. I was asked if I planned to sit and watch him. He was eventually given a padded chair and transferred to the cardiac care unit.

He arrived with severe leg swelling, which worsened during his stay. Tests ruled out heart issues, and he was discharged with the same pain and swelling he came in with.

Despite advice from the hospice and oncology to keep him in hospital until care was arranged, one physio assessed him without seeing him (while he was having an X-ray), another recommended home physio and equipment – but this was later refused by senior staff. A third physio suggested using a crutch in a way I saw was clearly unsafe. One senior staff member was verging on rude when he asked about home care.

Thankfully, oncology stepped in again, and he was re-assessed properly and he also now receives morning carers.

I am surprised that any of the staff remain there. They are worked to a frazzle with little thanks, little resources and just – only just – holding their heads above water due to work load and low staff levels.

The good old British cuppa, compassion, tissues and smile are all but gone from the hospital for patients, let alone staff!
This is my experience. It’s not good enough.

Name and address supplied

Science isn’t a soundbite

Dear Editor,

I enjoy reading Holmsey and sometimes agree, but not last week. Although he magnanimously states ‘I’m no scientist’, he goes on to quote a sentence (in quote marks), from a ‘Scandinavian study’, without giving a reference to identify the source. Researching the effect of paracetamol in pregnancy is difficult, because reasons for which mothers are taking the medication can themselves be risk factors for poor outcome. The recent Scandinavian study – Ahlqvist VH 2024 (Paracetamol) use during pregnancy and children’s risk of autism, ADHD and intellectual disability JAMA 331(14) 1205-1214) that takes risk factors (co-founders) into account concludes: “(Paracetamol) use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in sibling control analysis. This suggests that associations observed in other models may have been attributable to familial confounding.”

Few scientists or medical practitioners disagree with this position although further studies will follow.

The National Autistic Society, the UK’s leading charity for autism, states on their website: “Understandably, autistic people will be dismayed and frightened by this announcement (from President Trump) and we would urge our Government and the NHS to stand by autistic people and to condemn this misinformation.”

I would suggest that progress in medicine and public health depends on high quality science and a public that can see when science is being selectively quoted (misused) to support a political viewpoint.

Paul Bingham, Newport

Lammy’s low blow

Dear Editor,

At their party conference, Labour have reiterated how much they despise us. The Prime Minister and senior Cabinet members were relentless in their disgusting, hate-filled attacks on Reform UK and the population in general. Anyone who questions mass, uncontrolled immigration (3/4 of a million net last year alone) is called a racist, and David Lammy even went as far as accusing Nigel Farage of ‘flirting with the Hitler Youth’, despite the latter being born in 1964. This is an appalling, shameful, bizarre thing to say and proves that Mr Lammy is not fit to hold office.

British people are sick of being treated as second-class citizens in their own country and being vilified by the Left for raising legitimate concerns. National security is not racist; it is an essential task of government – one at which the Tories and Labour have abjectly failed.

We need another General Election to oust the Uniparty traitors.

P Stannard, Newport

Rubble for rent – Blair’s new deal

Dear Editor,

Where does this despicable man ever get off? Tony Blair lied about weapons of mass destruction and claimed Saddam Hussein could launch an attack on Britain within 45 minutes. He took the UK into an illegal war which resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands, but is now apparently being shortlisted to head up a new government in Gaza.

No doubt there will be $ signs spinning in his eyes at the thought of overseeing the creation of Trump’s real estate playboy riviera in Gaza, once the IDF have killed, or cleared out, all those pesky Palestinians from their homeland.

What’s the deal again? To give displaced Palestinian’s a few shekels for any piles of rubble they can prove they still hold title to.

The truth is, if there was any justice in this world, Tony Blair would have been sent to the Hague to answer for war crimes, and now be serving time behind bars, rather than getting rich on the backs of the orchestrated destruction of a nation and its people that the United Nations recognises as a sovereign state.

Hans Bromwich, Cowes

Rachel from accounts – taxing credibility

Dear Editor,

On ITV’s Meridian news today, IW West MP, Richard Quigley, was asked at the Labour Party conference what his wish list was from Rachel ‘from accounts’ Reeves in her next budget. Whilst most of us would hope she announced her resignation, he requested that she looked after the farmers. I can therefore only assume he hasn’t heard the nickname of ‘Starmer the Farmer Harmer’?

If, as Labour constantly tell us, that this ridiculous inheritance tax that they are singling out for farmers only for some reason “will only affect a small minority of farming families” then presumably the potential income to the Treasury from this punitive tax would also be negligible, which begs the question why are they bothering with it in the first place? Perhaps Labour need to think about other policies, such as the Winter Fuel Payments and benefit reforms, that carried the same level of popularity as the Labour Party currently carries in opinion polls.

With any luck they will be out of government before any farming families are punished by this ridiculous punitive taxation policy, and all law-abiding citizens have to carry an ID card whilst those here and working illegally have a good laugh at us?

Chris Clarke, Brighstone

Sam Browne: Island hero, global icon

Dear Editor,

There was one name that stood out in the already remarkable list of Island VC recipients that recently had their graves cleaned by the Victoria Cross Trust (IW Observer, September 26).

Samuel Browne’s name was probably the most widely familiar of all Island residents, and still familiar with militaries and police forces around the world. General Sir Samuel

Browne VC, who lost an arm in a swordfight during the action for which he was awarded the VC, developed a new design of leather belt which made it easier to carry a pistol holster and sword. The ‘Sam Browne’ has subsequently been worn by hundreds of thousands of army officers and NCOs, and police forces, worldwide. It continues to be worn with dress uniform, and is still commonly known as the Sam Browne. There is even a hi-vis version available. General Browne lived in ‘Argosy’ in East Hill Road, Ryde.

Mike Riley, Ryde