I REGRET that toddler William Mead lost his life as a result of failures in the NHS 111 system but the blame must rest on the shoulders of Jeremy Hunt.
We have millions of people unemployed in this country and yet NHS 111 call handlers are having to work long hours at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust in Exeter.
Things were so bad for one call handler in Devon that she was found hanged halfway through her fourth consecutive 12-hour shift. Mr Hunt criticised the trust last week for failing to recognise that William was suffering from sepsis.
Mr Hunt also wants junior doctors to work 60-70 hours a week and accept basic pay at a weekend when a council workman emptying the bins in the city on a weekend is paid double time.
When junior doctors work excessive hours who will Mr Hunt criticise when something goes wrong?
Why not treat everyone like MPs? They recently received a 12 per cent pay rise, claim thousands in expenses and sometimes have four or five wellpaid jobs on the side.
G Hall, Crook
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