UNDER-FUNDING is currently being blamed for health service failures. We therefore need to review spending in this area and could begin with those major absorbents of public resources, the so-called health service watchdogs, such as the former community health councils and the current or recent advocacy schemes.

Has anyone, after taking a problem to any of them, ever come away satisfied? I doubt it. Anyone in that position can certainly count on being soft-soaped, patronised and generally messed around.

But in the end they will realise they were imposed upon and nothing remotely serious was ever done to address their concern.

The public needs to wake up to this pernicious waste of their money - which could be paying for real services such as more hospital cleaners, anti-cancer drugs, etc.

Tony Kelly, Crook, Co Durham.

FROM reading The Northern Echo recently, I see that some cancer patients around the country cannot receive the treatment drug Tarceva because of cost effectiveness - whatever that means.

Also, hospital surgeons are having trouble with the present sterilisation system of their operating tools by private companies.

What next? It appears the NHS system is beginning to falter and our hospitals seem to be failing to give patients the medical treatment they need. Let us hope the "tide will turn", easing today's problems.

Roland Bramham, Richmond, North Yorkshire.