IS it not time the national press and all the experts who contribute to their columns to stop telling us that the NHS is in serious crisis?

After all, it is we who know through the lack of beds, cancellations and lack of treatment how bad the crisis is.

And what does it do to all the dedicated members of the NHS who, day in, day out, week in, week out, carry on repairing broken bodies, supplying new parts and giving all the other necessary services?

There is no crisis for them - just a terrific job to be done under circumstances that have existed for 20 years, magnified by the flu sweeping Europe.

If this was an enemy preparing to invade our country, Parliament, the national press, and the great British public would combine to re-create the Dunkirk operation to expel them. Well, the enemy is already here - apathy.

Think of the terrible consequences if the NHS was to collapse, and in the opinion of many who know the full facts of the crisis this is a distinct possibility - read fertility expert Lord Winston's latest comments that billions more need to be spent on the service.

If the government won't move, it is up to the power of the press and the public to mount a campaign to shake them out of their lethargy.

If Parliament, the press or the public really meant to tackle the problem, I feel sure the people would be prepared to sacrifice 2p or 3p - maybe called a Health Tax - with the whole of the income to be donated to the NHS.

The slogan should be: "It can be done. It should be done. It will be done."

Well, just maybe.

So, come on, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, set the lead for a national campaign to rescue the NHS.

H DUCKWORTH, Henthorn Road, Clitheroe.

FOOTNOTE: We have campaigned for more resources for the NHS for years and all this latest publicity is part of the campaign. How else has it caused embarrassment to the government except by the media exposing the crisis? Unfortunately, it will take more than a 2 or 3 pence health tax. As we commented only recently (LET, Lancashire 17), to get us up to European standards will take something like 12p on income tax - Editor.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.