YOUR report about the trained physiotherapist who couldn't get a job ('Frozen out', August 30) is familiar.

Profit alongside management control, coupled with outside contracts, has demoralised most of the NHS staff into accepting the inevitable decline in standards against their own wishes.

Through no fault of their own the workforce at the sharp end in most hospitals face increasing bureaucracy, leading to more white collar staff management. The old phrase "all chiefs and no indians" applies.

My son, his wife and relations have worked in the NHS for many years and still do.

However, my son and his wife were encouraged by working conditions to apply for outside contract work to supplement their family income.

My son is now a house husband and part-time senior cardiograph technician working between two hospitals looking after two children.

His wife, a fully qualified senior nurse has recently acquired an executive post in the pharmaceutical industry - you may say poached by private medical services.

The answer is to put people in charge who have worked their way up during many years, gained experience and can relate to present-day needs, ie matrons in charge and cleaners and the like who can be supervised by their peers on a daily basis and offer wages to match their work and praise where it is due.

This also applies to all our essential services such as the police, education and fire services. These are all fundamental needs within our society, whatever your status in life.

K Bowker,

Vesper Walk,

Huntington, York.

Updated: 08:50 Saturday, September 03, 2005