IT is general knowledge how cash-strapped the NHS is supposed to be, in fact it appears to be a national crisis and without doubt a scandal.

I often ask myself how it is that agency nurses are able to earn more than full-time staff nurses are and also, of course, have the agency fees to pay?

I know this to be true through talking to staff when visiting sick relatives and I'm of the opinion the truth of the matter is that central government wants it to look the way it is, that the cash is there all along but are reluctant to release it and allow our hospital authorities become more efficient.

Of course it can always be claimed that full-time staff are not available but I cannot accept that as the case, and if it is it can only be caused by the case as I have described.

Salaries are always the key factor where jobs are concerned as well as job satisfaction and in my view there should be no way a part-timer should be able to take home a larger salary than a full time nurse so could this be the key to how under-staffed our hospitals appear to be?

In a country that is supposed to have such a prosperous economy I find it difficult to swallow the image our down trodden NHS exudes where once we led the world in medical know-how.

I have no real wish to harp back to immigration and our membership of the EU but it would appear this also has a large bearing on the efficiency of our hospitals, certainly money-wise.

Anyone who has visited these places in recent years will always be aware of the shortage of beds and ward space and how busy the staff are.

Wouldn't it therefore be of value to all concerned to offer a fair salary for a fair day (or night's) work, a slightly lesser pay deal for part-time staff and halt the closure of hospitals we keep hearing and reading about?

There is no doubt we need our hospitals and we need our nurses to be efficient and well paid if we are to enjoy any future workable NHS.

L A O'BEE, Lordswood, Southampton.