AT last someone (N Smith, Letters, August 13) is able to see the future with regard to the selling off of the NHS.

Many are unable to shout from the tallest building alerting others to the seriousness of the situation.

Operations and surgeries are good, hospital staff excellent but there is much more to the insidious takeover of the NHS and it will affect everyone gradually, including the wonderful hospital staff, because we are big business.

A doctor on these letters pages stated that information is gathered with regard to patients' background and health - some doctors do not agree with this and feel information between doctor and patient is sacrosanct and should only be detailed for use to specific persons with the agreement of the patient.

The patients will be cherry picked and whether we smoke or drink will be permanently on our records. One may feel this is good because this information will be in our best ineterests, but no.

The elderly and disabled are currently being side- tracked and abandoned in respect of the chiropody service and are being pushed onto the excellent Help the Aged. They are woefully compensated and are trying to cope with this situation which has been foisted upon them.

This is the thin edge of the wedge - how serious can it get?

J MOORBY (by e-mail).