Sir, - Instinctively, a warm welcome should be given to the proposal for new office units to be built on the Colburn Business Park. But is this a case of throwing good money after bad?

Yorkshire Forward's proposals, which include £628,000 of Richmondshire District Council money, can have merit only if there are immediate occupiers on completion.

Who is available? The Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust is again looking for more property. How about the trust taking up an original offer from Yorkshire Forward of temporary portable buildings, as new-build takes place? And, might the trust return to Colburn in its entirety, to be in the centre of the population it intends to serve, and not stuck out on a limb at Thirsk?

Remoteness is also a problem for the Tees and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service, which always holds its board meetings at Easingwold and even the police authority went to Selby, its remotest corner, when settling the police budget. Is this a sample of regional government to come?

Coun TONY PELTON

High Green,

Catterick.

Great NHS

Sir, - People often complain about the treatment they receive from the NHS, but I would like to tell you about my very positive experience.

I recently noticed that a mole on my leg had changed appearance, I saw my GP on the Thursday, she agreed that it needed looking at and as I was intending to go on holiday a couple of weeks later, she said she would try and get me an early appointment. The next day the Friarage Hospital phoned to say that they had a cancellation for the Monday clinic, which I was delighted to accept. I was seen by Dr Seukeran who thought that the mole was almost certainly not malignant, but that it was probably better and safer to remove it. I asked if it would be safe to leave it until I returned from my trip and he said he would remove it there and then if I would wait until he had seen the other patients in his clinic.

Despite being very busy, Dr Seukeran and Staff Nurse Eaton were very kind to me, I did not feel that I was just a number to be treated at their convenience, not mine, but a patient whose well being was important to them, I don't think I would have received better, quicker and kinder treatment anywhere.

I know that it is a better news story to relate the problems with the NHS, but sometimes the people who work for it do deserve some praise, we all work better for a little bit of appreciation.

G T BAKER

Glendale,

Hutton Rudby.