I READ Mark Harper' s defence of the NHS changes with interest and noted that he does not say anything about care being provided by the NHS.

This perhaps explains the very complex and expensive system set up as the future of Lydney and Dilke hospitals – it has been shaped into a private outfit – with a chief executive already poised to be business-like! The words "In order to keep this contract" give the game away. The Gloucestershire Care Services can easily be replaced by private ones now salivating at the door.

It is very obvious that this is very far from being the "Social Enterprise" that David Cameron spoke about. This could easily have been created by allowing the doctors to run the two hospitals, with supporting – and very much cheaper management. There will be a continuous competitive commissioning process which will soon drive out the original NHS workers and replace them with private companies.

The British Medical Council is appalled by all this and is advising everyone to vote against it in order to preserve one of the best health systems in the world.

Ironically, many of the competitive health provider companies in this country are American-based, and the USA has one of the worst and most expensive health systems in the world. Can we really learn anything from them? Can Mark Harper deny this?

Jay Travers

Blakeney