BMA needs honesty

BETWEEN 1946, when legislation to create the NHS was first introduced, and July 5 1948 when it came into force, the British Medical Association campaigned vigorously, but entirely unsuccessfully, against the terms of service offered to doctors.

How ironic that today we find the same organisation campaigning for exactly the same thing.

While the leaders might suggest their fight is to preserve the essential ethos of the NHS (as defined by them) against the Government of the day, the BMA’s website suggests otherwise by outlining the three issues on which their current campaign is predicated.

The BMA claims the NHS wishes to ‘remove vital safeguards’ relating to the number of hours worked. The BMA has stated it has little confidence in the EU Working Time Directive despite it being the law followed by every other employer and wants a more robust safeguard for doctors.

With regard to ‘pay progression’ the BMA wants doctors to continue receiving annual pay increases on the basis that each year a person is a doctor constitutes ‘a year of experience’ even if the doctor is not actually working.

Finally the BMA objects to what it refers to as an ‘extension of standard times’ or to put it in modern parlance the reality that (regrettably) the weekend is actually just normal working time albeit attracting a slight premium; a situation common to people working in the service and retail sector.

I wish the junior doctors well in their attempt to secure their future but wish the BMA would be more honest in how they present their case, it’s not about patient welfare as much as it is about protecting the incomes and status of their members.

After all they don’t want to be thought of as ‘mere civil servants’ DES MORGAN Caraway Drive, Swindon Good care must cost I HAVE no connection with the management or ownership of nursing homes.

My wife is a resident – it’s now been for three years – of a well-known Swindon nursing home and thus I have a good understanding as a user.

I have also received a letter increasing the weekly cost in excess of inflation but fully understand the situation.

The prime cost of a nursing home is payroll to dedicated staff, who work 12-hour shifts and provide 24-hour nursing and medical care, food and laundry, 365 days a year.

Across Christmas my wife’s home was fully staffed during the holiday.

I believe that these dedicated staff should be well paid and not on the minimum wage.

Rightly, the Government is increasing this minimum level and this will have a major impact on nursing home costs.

I believe these caring staff are doing a job many other people would choose not do.

Jane Francis appears to have little understanding that users want the very best care for their loved ones, with dedicated staff, and for this we must pay.

Her suggested solutions are nonsense.

MICHAEL O’BRIEN The Pinnacle, Swindon

Islamic influences

IT HAS emerged that GCSE and A-level exams have been moved to accommodate Muslim students who fast during Ramadan. It seems the Muslim holy month can be accommodated while Easter is downgraded to ‘Spring Break.’ Muslims need to observe British habits and the British calendar, not change the UK to an Islamic tradition.

We now have schools that serve only halal meat, make allowances for Islamic prayers (having pushed out Christian morning prayers thanks to aggressive secularism, and the politically correct desire not to upset Muslims) and provide lessons on the Quran.

Our country was built upon Christian principles, including tolerance of other faiths.

Islam is not as tolerant.

Christian values, including democracy, and Islamic values are incompatible.

We have a choice: Maintain the freedoms passed down to us by our Christian heritage, or submit (which is exactly what Islam means) to aggressive Sharia law and lose them forever.

Boris Johnson advises us all to visit a mosque during Ramadan. Not a Christian church.

Aren’t they supposed to adapt to our way of life?

We already have Muslim taxi-drivers who refuse to carry “unclean” guide dogs, and a successful claim by a Muslim London police officer that he should be exempt from guarding the Israeli Embassy. They are dictating the terms. Where does this all end? With more refugees coming here to live, the larger the Muslim population becomes, the more their demands will grow.

They come from an alien culture and most it appears are young and male – note Germany.

Many are entering Europe to further their own interests, they are not vulnerable people in need of sanctuary.

This country is becoming Islamic.

Don’t leave it to Cameron and chums. They do nothing except cater to them while playing lip-service to our Christian heritage.

JEFF ADAMS Bloomsbury, Swindon.

Unfounded allegations

AS a resident of Swindon, and a user of the Great Western Hospital, I have had no choice over the last four years but to observe the despicable activities of the GMB towards Carillon, and their managers.

The witchhunt was reported by yourselves on 50 occasions, even making front page news.

It has now been shown by the tribunal that all their allegations were unfounded and made up of lies, but what do you do?

Tuck the story on the inside page where it isn’t going to be seen. Also, where is it online?

Shame on the people who made these allegations, and cost the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds putting this farce through the courts.

REBECCA RAMOS Swindon