During the latter half of last year it became necessary for my wife, who was a long term invalid, to go into hospital.

She went into Basildon Hospital, but was transferred to a private nursing home.

The private care was vastly superior in terms of patients comfort and attendance to needs, but did not indicate any shortcomings on the part of the NHS nurses, who were overworked and understaffed and did not have the time for similar extended individual care.

The NHS needs to prune its management and increase staff on the wards. Nurses are a special breed in terms of compassion and care and their imput to society is far in excess of their remuneration.

What a pity that the same dedication is not emulated by the teaching profession, who enjoy far superior salaries and working conditions than the nurses, yet are striking for more.

WH Diment
Church Road
Laindon