DESPITE what I consider to be Mr Dyer’s personal attack on me, I stand by everything that I said in my article (In My View, November 24), which was written in the hope of encouraging an interesting exchange of views and did not deserve abuse.

In fact, it has led to only four letters, all of which agreed with me, and Mr Smith’s article of typical Socialist propaganda.

My own article arose from my memories of that time. I have since taken the trouble to ascertain that the facts I supplied are confirmed by the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

As I stated, credit for the original conception of the NHS belongs to Churchill, who set up the committee; Lord Beveridge (a Liberal), who chaired it; the members of all parties and civil servants who sat on it; and (much later), to Aneurin Bevan and to the Labour Government who implemented what had been an all-party pledge to introduce a health service after the war.

There is no room here for a detailed rebuttal of Mr Smith’s article, but it is sufficient to quote two facts: (1) Since the NHS was formed by the Labour government after the war, in response to what had been an allparty agreement, more money has been spent on it in total by Conservative administrations than by Labour; and (2) every Labour government in history has ended, just like the last one, in a financial crisis, due to the Labour Party’s propensity, albeit well-meaning, to spend more money than is coming in.

The NHS was a wonderful conception and, originally, the pride of the nation and the envy of other countries.

However, with full credit to all its many good qualities, it is a monolithic money-consuming structure which has more managers than doctors, nurses or beds.

Survival rates for diseases such as cancer are in many cases lower than in other countries with fewer resources. Money is spent on gastric bands and cosmetic operations but expensive drugs are denied to those who will die without them. Increasing numbers of the resident population get tired of waiting for treatment and pay for operations in other countries, but visitors from abroad come here in order to received immediate and free treatment (which is not reciprocated for UK citizens).

What is needed is an all-party operation, presided over by someone with the dedication, courage and determination of an Attlee, a Churchill or a Thatcher, but sadly no party leader has the qualities or stature of these political giants of the past.

Dennis B Wilson, Southampton