THERE is much in the press of late regarding NHS hospitals and the sometimes appalling treatment of elderly patients.

However, I would like to share our experience.

My mother-in-law, Vera, fell at home Black Friday – Huddersfield Royal Infirmary’s busiest night of the year.

Two lady paramedics attended within 10 minutes and could not have taken better care of her if she were their own mother.

The kindness, compassion and consideration shown to her was exemplary.

She was taken straight into the treatment room until seen by a doctor who confirmed her hip was broken and again she was treated with the utmost dignity and respect.

Following her transfer to Ward 20 she had an operation to repair her hip but, unfortunately, developed pneumonia and passed away on January 3.

The doctors, nurses and staff we came into contact with, even the young lad who cleaned the ward, treated my mother-in-law with the utmost care.

Nothing was too much trouble and her every need was met.

Even though they were short-staffed, everyone always had time to stop for a chat and a kind word and made sure she was comfortable.

When it became apparent she was not going to recover she was moved into a side room to give us privacy – and the nurses looked after the family too, always there with a reassuring word and a cup of tea.

They were constantly on hand to answer our questions and ensured my mother-in-law passed away peacefully and did not suffer.

It is always hard to lose a loved one, but knowing that everything possible was done in such a loving and kind way made it easier to bear.

To all of you who were involved in Vera’s care we salute you – you are all absolute Angels.

I hope you all realise how special you are and what a difference you make to the patients and their families.

With grateful thanks.

The Johnson family

Huddersfield

Pub will be different

DAVID Lockwood’s article was an interesting and emotive look at Castle Hill and the pub some 40 years ago but, in my view, it was full of incorrect information.

He is looking back to his youth when the pub culture was completely different not like now when ‘binge drinking’ causes problems.

I was a regular visitor to the pub but have already sent in my objection even though I visited regularly for a quiet drink

Those correspondents who long to go to the pub on the hill for a drink should realise that this will not be like the old pub they remember so fondly. This will be a mixture of hotel, restaurant and pub and will not have the old “cosy” atmosphere.

There probably weren’t many problems with the access road years ago – not as many people had cars and cars were much smaller with no four-wheeled vehicles. Expand the passing places is his suggestion. No work can be done on any part of the road which incorporates part of the archaeology without special planning permission

The old pub was originally a farmhouse with bits added and was not listed as it was of no historic value.

Hundreds and thousands enjoyed countless hours there is an exaggeration. By the 1990s the pub was falling down and was closed when the Thandi brothers bought it, hence the first planning application.

“The Victoria Tower which serves no purpose and is rarely open,” says Mr Lockwood. Has he not visited since his days as a DJ? There are opening times posted outside the tower and the Examiner ran an article last year (2011) highlighting the extended hours.

Times and details of special events run by the ranger can be found on the Kirklees website, What’s On and in leaflets from libraries and museums.

The hill has going on 12,000 visitors this year.

Mr Lockwood is surprised that many people who do not live in Huddersfield are writing to object to the application. “What’s it to do with them?’’ he says.

These are the “tourists” who are attracted to the hill from all over the country as it is one of the most important ancient monuments in the north of England and also nationally.

They don’t care about a pub. They probably go on to visit Almondbury and its church and there are good places to have refreshments there. Why does Mr Lockwood think English Heritage has written such strong objections?

The reference to Mr Marsden and the Civic Society is very derogatory. Research would have shown there are only two places in England (Westminster and Bristol) that have more listed buildings. They have been busy protecting our heritage.

The objections have not come from a “vociferous and noisy must be heard minority” but from ordinary people who do not want their heritage and that of future generations destroyed by “commercial enterprise.”

Those for the pub are just the same.

Actually the majority probably could not care less about the issue.

Antiquarian

Kirkheaton

Less crocodile tears

THE recent comments made in the Examiner by Conservative Clr Nigel Patrick on glass recycling are, in my view, misleading and inaccurate.

The council has spent over nine months trying to find a viable solution to the issue of glass collection and have spoken to many private sector organisations, but none of them could offer a value for money solution, hence the removal of the service.

We are facing massive cuts in the Kirklees budget forced on us by the Con Dem Government and savings have to be made or the council will go bust – it’s as simple as that. Yet every time cuts are made or savings proposed the opposition go running to the press saying its unfair or ill thought out.

It’s time the Tories and Lib Dems stopped whinging about cuts in services that are been forced on us by their Government.

We all recognise the need to cut public spending, but it’s quite clear the cuts are too deep and too quick and this is clearly borne out by the state of the national economy.

So please let’s have less crocodile tears from our Conservative councillors whose Government are handing down disproportional cuts to northern councils. Why aren’t they lobbying Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to ensure we do not face unfair cuts in the north.

Surrey Heath, a Tory council, faces cuts in its budget of 1.51% while Kirklees faces a cut of 6.09% over the next two years. I ask Clr Patrick, is this fair?

Don’t forget we are all in this together, unless of course you come from leafy southern England with a Tory council.

Graham Turner

Ward councillor for Denby Dale