Letters: Ireland’s border antics make nonsense of the EU’s posturing on Brexit

Patient vs practice

SIR – I have just spent 30 minutes trying to get information from my GP, which could possibly lead to my seeing another doctor face-to-face.

First I had to get on to the practice website, share my login details with the company running the system, and complete a questionnaire asking how I had helped myself with my ailment. 

I then received an appointment by text, and phoned the practice to say I couldn’t make that time and date. This involved a lengthy discussion, during which it transpired that there were no further appointments because they were all “embargoed”. 

This is like being in a dystopian nightmare.

Jacqueline Butler
Macclesfield, Cheshire

SIR – My 90-year-old brother lives in Wales. He has a rather irritating cough, and on May 1 rang his GP surgery to make an appointment to discuss it. He was offered one on June 3.

“I shall either be dead or better by then,” was his response. Problem solved.

Adrian Lloyd-Edwards
Stoke Fleming, Devon

SIR – Recently I had an NHS musculoskeletal appointment for a hip problem, at which it was proposed that I have a hip replacement. 

One week later I was sent a link by text that let me choose online which orthopaedic clinic to attend – one NHS and three private. Having been presented with wait times for an initial assessment and surgery at each, I chose one at a local private hospital for two weeks’ time

Am I just lucky being under the Royal Berkshire Trust? I couldn’t have asked for better service.

Chris Thomas
Reading, Berkshire