Today’s groups seem to think that they have a right to protest wherever and whenever they like, even if they ruin the enjoyment of far more people and conflict with their rights. Well, maybe, but not distinct from the historical consequences, from torture or execution through transportation to imprisonment (the Suffragettes). SIR – “Dissent is part of our history” says Suzanne Moore ( Features, May 9), criticising the police’s handling of protesters at the Coronation. When protest conflicts with the rights of others Banning it has done much damage and could do more. Like most ancient traditions, foxhunting is in harmony with nature and human needs. Foxes are not quarry animals and are not terrified in the chase until near the end, which is always quick. Most are either missed entirely or wounded, and slink away to die of starvation or gangrene. Foxes stay concealed by day, so can be shot only at night, by lamping, which means shooting at the light reflected off the animals’ eyes. Hunting is the kindest way to control foxes. Thus, a farmer experiences relief after the hunt has visited him and he will tend to support the hunt by not shooting foxes. Hunting puts hounds into coverts and drives the local foxes away. Like man-eating tigers, each such individual does much damage, while the rest of the population does none. Foxes predating on lambs and chickens are only a minor element in the vulpine population. It does, moreover, reduce the number of foxes killed by farmers. Maybe 100 horsemen and 16 couples of hounds will average one fox killed in a day. SIR – Hunting with a pack of hounds is the most highly inefficient method of killing foxes. The NHS workforce plan needs to offer dramatic improvements in the number of staff in primary care, especially GPs, or NHS general practice will go the way of NHS dentistry. Reforming primary care, for example by making GPs salaried, may worsen this situation, as all GPs will then be entitled to finish their working day well before they now do, reducing the availability of appointments. In many areas it is also impossible to attract GPs to replace retiring colleagues. Now, it is impossible for GPs to fulfil demand. Before, though very busy, we were able to allocate enough advance and on-the-day appointments to meet need. In the early years of my 30-year GP career, there were fewer than 1,800 patients per fully qualified GP – now there are 2,300. The difficulty that GPs face in providing sufficient appointments is as unwelcome to them as to patients and is due to the ageing population and the rise in patients per fully qualified GP. SIR – The Government’s plans to provide digital telephone systems and allow pharmacists to treat some medical conditions (report, May 10) are welcome but will not greatly improve access to GPs. Those of my generation learnt in our clinical years by being part of a consultant-led “firm” which provided consistent teaching to its students and consistent treatment to its patients. Once, and only once, they have that background is it time for an apprenticeship form of learning. A doctor, as a diagnostician, needs a scientific, academic education so as to enable him or her to consider whether what appears to be condition A might in fact be condition B, C or D. For doctors, however, the situation is different. The sooner we get back to practical training for a practical job, the better. SIR – Nursing apprenticeships are not “a radical new approach” but a return to the system under which my wife and thousands like her trained as State Registered Nurses until some half-witted politician decided that nurses had to have a degree. However, I predict that the NHS will be sure to set up another layer of executives, managers and administrative staff to run the scheme, probably employing significantly more than the 200 apprentices it is being designed to produce. This is a good – if small – step in the right direction. SIR – As part of the delayed NHS workforce strategy, Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, is to introduce a medical apprenticeship scheme ( report, May 10) to fast-track school leavers into nursing and doctor positions, offering 200 places over the next two years.
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