05/07/04

I was appalled by the sensationalist language used, which served only to reinforce the negative stereotyping that people with mental health problems often have to endure. Furthermore, the reporting was misleading and at times inaccurate and I would like to clarify some of the facts.

The unit referred to is not a medium high secure unit as the article infers.

The people we care for on the unit are experiencing acute and severe mental health problems and need intensive medical and nursing care for a short period of time. It is similar to an intensive care unit in a general hospital. These people are in an extremely vulnerable state and are more likely to be a risk to themselves than pose a risk to others.

The current environment is not acceptable (an issue that has been raised by external NHS monitoring organisations) and we would be failing in our responsibilities if we did not explore opportunities for providing better accommodation on an interim basis, such as the new unit in Darlington. - Sandy Taylor, chief executive, County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust.

AFTER reading your article (Echo, Jul 1), I can give my full support to staff who are fighting to keep the much-needed facilities of the Tony White unit open.

This service is one that no person wishes to use but, at a time of severe illness, it is a vital part of the county hospital. If this facility is moved to the South Durham region it will increase levels of anxiety, not only for patients, (service users), but also for carers and visitors as it will increase the amount of travelling if visitors, ie family and friends, have to rely on public transport. In some cases patients may have no contact other than over the telephone.

In the case of very disturbed patients, if a patient is to be transferred by taxi to another hospital in the south, are the taxi drivers trained to deal with this type of passenger in the case of violent attack on staff escorting the patient?

When a facility or service works well you would not expect to lose it. The Tony White Unit is such a service and should not be transferred to a place that already has a similar service. At the end of the day why reinvent the wheel?

Keep the unit/ward at the county hospital. North Durham needs an intensive care unit mental health. You would not dream of moving an ITU from a general hospital. - Colin Edington, mental health service user consultant/trainer.

SPEED CAMERAS

CONTRARY to the believe of the proponents of hidden cameras on our roads (Echo, June 28) not all opponents of such a scheme can be lumped together under the title 'petrolheads'.

I am not someone who wants to drive at excessive speeds without reproach. But I do want to know when someone in authority has me on camera. If any policing agency has the ability to track my movements I want to know about it. I believe that the proliferation of secret cameras would eventually have a detrimental effect on the trust with which the public view the police.

We are already the most observed nation in Europe. We have cameras watching out behaviour in all sorts of different ways.

Are the roads in other European countries so much more dangerous than ours because of the lack of cameras? Perhaps the authorities there have learnt, as we must, that the problem of how to keep traffic travelling at reasonable speeds is a complex one and there will be many aspects to the solution.

Let us not accept the siren voices of the 'one solution fits all' hidden camera lobby lest we jeopardise our freedoms in the process. - Ivor Evans, Darlington.

IF cameras are not revenue earners, why not give the money to boost our underpaid, overworked doctors and nurses instead of letting the police keep it?

I am only guessing, but I would estimate it takes about eight years to train a doctor, then they have to consider moving to other countries to receive a wage which reflects the work they do.

We also have to import nurses because of the low pay. Whereas, in comparison, it takes a fortnight to train a traffic cop. The police also get recruits to work for nothing by way of 'specials'.

At the last recruitment drive they had thousands of applicants. Surely the answer would be for the Government to employ an independent body to decide who gets prosecuted instead of the police being judge, jury and executioner.

Fixed penalties should be abolished and everyone should be able to plead not guilty unless the police can prove otherwise. This is one of the few laws where you are guilty until proved innocent. - A McKinnon, Crook.

HEALTHY EATING

I READ with interest the article (Echo, June 30) where diners at McDonald's may in the future find their receipt includes the total number calories they are about to consume.

Not much use on the receipt, as who is going to leave food they have paid for?

Better to have calories information on menus, wall placards and maybe a total calories count at the till along with the price before a customer has to pay, this having a choice as to accept, decline or change their order. - B Rowlands, Spennymoor.

RACISM

JOHN Davis (HAS, June 25) says it is racist to talk of our traditions and out rightful inheritance. Since when has this become racist?

All countries adhere to their own traditions. He adds that we who do so will be treated with zero tolerance. What sort of a police state is England becoming under such rules?

He even goes so far as to say those who do have no place in our society. It makes me wonder when this Government is going to start building gulags for the dissidents, since such policies are communist in origin. To take away people's history and culture with the view to destroying their incentive to resist is pure communism.

This situation has grown under this left-wing Government. I hope the people of England who care about the future of their country kick it into the rubbish tip of history where it belongs, come the next election. - Annabel Scott, Darlington.