I LOOK forward to the Evening Press printing the Prime Minister's response to David Alexander's letter regarding the closure of Acomb Gables (January 21).

As Mr Blair has not yet achieved his aims of joined-up government and multi-agency solutions to health and social problems, it would be interesting to learn how central government is able to reconcile an "expanded home-care service" with the NHS trust's proposals to reduce their contribution, and make "efficiencies" in the care of the elderly. Age Concern too has recently been reported as cash-strapped!

With senile dementia set to become one of the most rapidly growing illnesses in the next ten years, the very least the Prime Minister can promise the nation is that his Health Secretary now has a better handle on what is happening at the "coalface" than his Secretary of State for Education and Skills.

Glynis Hanson,

Willow Glade,

Huntington,

York.

Updated: 09:55 Monday, January 30, 2006