Sir, – Where do I start? We’re both old and increasingly rely on the NHS for our continued wellbeing.
I mentioned our age group because we are in two different camps in the way we perceive the direction of the health service. My wife likes the old-school way of doing things, basically face-to-face.
I, on the other hand, am quite happy to e-consult and do the GP bit over the phone. Why do I like this? Well, I sit and make a list of the things that I wish to talk to the GP about and that seems to work very well for both parties.
We, like many others, have seen over the last decade or so the degradation of the NHS and we have our thoughts on how to fix it. I have listened and read about the state of health centres throughout the country and in particular the very emotive subject of GPs sharing their time between surgeries and hospitals.
Whereas a lot of people see this as a downside I think it enhances the service we get. There is no doubt in my mind that the old GP system whereby they qualified and remained at a desk for the duration of their career was detrimental to their ability to keep up with modern trends in medicine. So moving about to different parts of the health service will help to keep GPs on the ball.
The problem is we don’t have enough trained GPs to allow them to provide a service which I’m sure they would like to give. As for the shortage of nurses in hospitals, if every person in the management sector who originally trained as a nurse went back to nursing there wouldn’t be a shortage of nurses. The fix? Well that is simple money. The nation’s health is a cornerstone of a nation’s wealth.
If the government of the day won’t prioritise health funding over all others then we must change the government to one that will. So drastically increase the number of doctors, nurses and other health professionals in training, pay them well and the nation will be rewarded in so many ways.
Finlay G Mackintosh, Forres.
Toxic failures of SNP over 15 years
Sir, – As a besotted nationalist, Graham Bell (Letters, December 5) does not hold back with his disrespect and condemnation of our UK Government, while blindly forgetting to mention the toxic failures of his beloved SNP, or the fact that there has already been an “independence” referendum back in 2014. The SNP are experts at manufacturing grievances against the UK, but are useless at government. During 15 “independence”-obsessed years in control at Holyrood, the one thing the Nats have excelled at is squandering vast amounts of taxpayers’ money on unsustainable hand-outs, just to bribe and gather votes.
Canny hard-working Scots will not be tempted by any pig–in–a poke offer, and will not be bought by cheap bribes or nostalgic 14th Century Braveheart drivel from the SNP, who are finding it exceedingly impossible to produce an “economic plan” for their “ independent” but ruled- by-Brussels Scotland. For the SNP to disrespect the result of the definitive 2014 referendum, and to keep squandering taxpayers’ money on neverendums until they eventually win once, is mafia democracy at its best.
George Emslie, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen.
Why build in Torry when Altens free?
Sir, – I have been following the reports and letters concerning the ETZ and proposals to build on the St Fitticks Park area, a recognised green space and nature reserve.
This caused me to run a quick check on what is currently available at the Altens industrial complex which is a few minutes’ drive from the new harbour and nature reserve. After checking only one commercial website I found 17 units available to rent or buy. There are likely many more lying empty.
The question thus arises, why build when there are warehouses etc immediately available? For a much lesser figure than the building costs of new units, the road from the harbour to the existing units at Altens could be upgraded. One other matter raises concerns. Why should the good folk of Torry and greater Aberdeen believe anything they are told by the ETZ lobbyists when one of their number stated categorically that there was little or no oil and gas to be extracted from the North Sea post-IndyRef 2014. It is plain to see that this utterance was at best misleading.
It is no wonder many Torry citizens are frustrated with the situation. Councillors might want to put people first and revisit their deliberations in this instance given the availability of space at Altens.
Peter Macari, Bieldside, Aberdeen.
Regeneration proposals fiasco
Sir, – I refer to the article regarding the need for a plan for city regeneration.
Hold on a minute. We have had many city regeneration schemes, especially for Union Street, the last one of any substance being in 2012.
Is Union Street any better? I would think many citizens of this city would give a resounding no.
May I suggest that the start of our problems started with the shocking decision by the city council to completely disregard the democratic vote on Union Terrace Gardens. We are now paying the price of public apathy. Only last week our unelected roads officials went ahead without any public consultation to redesign the city centre’s roads using some obscure document instead of facing the public. So much for community engagement –it’s a joke.
James Noel, Leggart Terrace, Aberdeen.
Continental shelf boundaries
Sir, – It’s interesting to note that, despite her antipathy to oil and gas, Nicola Sturgeon and her government still seem to anticipate significant revenue from the industry for years to come in an independent Scotland.
This quantum will depend on negotiations on the delineation between Scottish and English waters which decide which fields still in existence will swell the Scottish coffers.
Some thought must go into this as the simple boundary assumed to be a line of latitude eastwards from just north of Berwick upon Tweed may well not apply.
There is an established international convention which delineates continental shelf boundaries by extrapolating from the line of the adjacent land boundary.
Since the border between England and Scotland runs approximately south-west to north-east then the continental shelf boundary would continue along the line (see the shelf boundaries between Norway, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands as examples).
This boundary line extended could debatably put the Forties Field in English waters. Of course, some of the newer fields west of Shetland currently lie clearly in Scottish waters.
However, if Shetland were to decide to secede from Scotland this would result in some fun negotiations.
MJ Salter, Glassel, Banchory.
Next election could be significant
Sir, – The recent poll for STV showed that if the intentions of those consulted were repeated at the next general election, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats would become extinct species in Scotland.
This is no surprise, the populace isna’ feel. It cannot be insulted on a daily basis by this Tory government, it cannot have the powers of its parliament continually eroded, it cannot have Westminster policies enacted against its wish for social democracy, without consequences. It a’ adds up ower time.
When Thatcher did similar in the ’80s (but even she wisna’ as bad as this toxic lot) the consequences arrived in the general election of 1997. I remember the night well, and I didna’ see it coming. I was sitting on a settee watching the election results, when in the early hours Edinburgh Pentland declared. Malcolm Rifkind, Foreign Secretary at the time, lost his seat to Labour, and of Tory MPs in Scotland there were none. When it dawned on me what had happened, I let out an involuntary shout of ‘Yes!’ and Hughie oor cat, fa’ hid been sleeping soundly beside me, shot three feet in the air. That election proved significant in terms of our path to our parliament, and it may well be that the next one might well prove significant in our path to independence.
Ken Gow, Bridge of Canny, Banchory.
Pension well below average wage
Sir, – Here is a grumpy old pensioner’s review of average wages in Scotland.
We see a December of strikes in almost every part of our economy. I say almost every part of our economy, because have you ever heard of chief executives of medium and large companies going on strike?
I have not and there is a good reason why not.
Doing some Google research into average pay rates it became clear that the typical chief executive of medium and large companies pay themselves 191 times more than the average wage of their employees.
Isn’t that disgusting?
Where is the levelling up agenda here and what does that do to the cost of living crisis? The cost of living crisis does not impact on everyone. Take a look at wages earned across Scottish society and I hope you will agree that not all of us face a cost of living wage crisis.
Interested in the claims for more pay from those striking workers I continued with my Google search, and I found the following average rates of pay which I have rounded up.
As I am a pensioner, I thought this was the lowest pay rate to highlight for you. The average state pension in Scotland is £7,800.
Even if there are two pensions for a household this figure is £15,600 and with other benefits which can be claimed we do not even get the living wage. How can that be fair?
The living wage in Scotland is £21,000. A council care worker is paid the living wage of £21,000. A private care worker is paid £22,000.
A newly qualified nurse is paid £27,000. A police constable is paid £31,000.
The average wage in Scotland is £33,000.
A newly qualified primary teacher is paid £33,000.
An experienced secondary teacher is paid £40,000.
A nurse with eight years of experience is paid £41,000.
A police sergeant is paid £48,000. The pay for an oil worker is £52,000. The pay for a train driver is £54,000.
The pay of a small-company chief executive is £60,000. A member of the Scottish Parliament is paid £67,000 while the first minister is paid £97,000.
So, from that listing, it is plain to see who should get a pay increase when measured against the lowest-paid people in Scottish society.
Or am I just being a grumpy old pensioner?
Don Carney, Meadowlands Place, Westhill, Aberdeen.
Cafe culture for city non-starter
Sir, – The old market, Majestic House and the Aberdeen Journals are just three of the buildings in Aberdeen demolished for progress that we now look back and wish were still around.
In 50 or 100 years’ time, our descendants could be looking at photos of the “new” market, BHS, Norco House, and likely the Denburn and Shell buildings wishing the same? Understandably, not to everyone’s taste, these buildings will be considered historical in a few short years with a place and history which councillors should keep in mind before declaring they will be demolished for open space if given to the city. The last thing Aberdeen needs is another cold, bleak and underused open space with a few concrete benches and flower beds that are vandalised every weekend. Let’s be clear, Aberdeen is not Italy or France, cafe culture does not work here.
Just a thought. Wouldn’t the old John Lewis (Norco House) make a good location for the much-touted and justified oil museum for Aberdeen, at least for now?
Victor Maitland, Westhill.
What a shambles
Sir, – Michelle Henderson and Lauren Robertson (EE, December 9) stated that pavements were currently being gritted in Airyhall, Craigebuckler, Peterculter, Bucksburn, Cornhill, Cults, Midstocket, Stoneywood, Dyce, Garthdee, Mastrick, Northfield and Torry, but what of Kincorth, Hazlehead, Footdee and Summerhill?
In the issue of December 3, the council was saying how it was all geared up and ready to go this winter.
No surprise that when the first two inches of snow came buses slid into each other, some quite rightly refused to go up some roads, cars bumped and the airport was delayed.
Get a grip Aberdeen.
W Wilson, Kincorth.