Sir, – As a member of the Patient Participation Group (PPG) at Brechin Health Centre, I was very interested to read your article that Montrose Royal Infirmary could close within days.
A year ago, Brechin Infirmary was in a similar, will-they, won’t-they situation.
It is now closed, although NHS Tayside has stated that it is temporary, with no decision taken at present about its long-term future.
At meetings of the PPG we have continually asked about the infirmary’s future but keep getting told no decision has been made.
I find it difficult to believe that NHS Tayside has not made a decision about the long-term future of Brechin Infirmary and now Montrose Infirmary.
I also chair the Brechin Healthcare Group, a community group which was formed in November 2015 following NHS Tayside taking over responsibility for healthcare provision in the Brechin area.
Over the past 12 months we have organised a number of well-attended public meetings to seek the views of the community on the current healthcare situation.
From the meetings the community has asked the steering group to engage in constructive dialogue with Angus Integration Joint Board and NHS Tayside so that together we can seek the best way forward.
While we have sought to do this, Angus IJB and NHS Tayside have clearly indicated that they have no intention of engaging with us.
Is it possible that the same could happen in Montrose?
Brechin and Montrose are part of the North East Locality Improvement Group (NELIG) and the opportunity for real community engagement with Angus IJB and NHS Tayside about our future healthcare is negligible.
This can change if interested people from both our communities come together to seek the best way forward for our whole locality.
If there is interest in working together I would be happy to organise an initial meeting early in the new year.
Grahame Lockhart.
Myrtle Cottage.
15 Scott Street.
Brechin.
Empty bins for disabled people
Sir, – Just before Christmas I arrived at my mother-in-law’s home in Dundee to find her refuse bins had not been emptied for more than two weeks.
They have a pink label for disabled occupancy and a phone call has enabled a collection to be arranged. Thank you Dundee City Council. The bins were in full view of the operatives.
I also asked about the brown and large food bin and why they are not collected for disabled people from their driveway in the same manner as those with a pink label.
I was advised that it is not council policy and these bins will only be emptied if put outside the property.
The council confirmed it expects disabled people at the age of 95 to wheel these bins to their property boundary.
I asked why the brown and food bins were excluded from the pink label scheme and was told it was because of Scottish Government recycling aims/guidelines.
If Dundee householders pay council tax for services, the same level of service should be provided to disabled people in Dundee for all types of refuse collection regardless of the bin colour and waste content.
Surely it is now time for Dundee City Council to change this policy.
David Woods.
74 Honeybourne,
Bishop’s Stortford.
Spain can thwart SNP’s ambitions
Sir, – I used to think Nicola Sturgeon was a canny politician but now I am not so sure. After years of the SNP establishment supporting Catalonian separatism, Ms Sturgeon has spent time over recent months cosying up to Gibraltar.
So inevitably, within 48 hours of Ms Sturgeon’s latest plans for a separate backdoor Scottish deal with the EU, Spanish officials reiterated that Spain will only negotiate Brexit with the UK Government.
The EU seeks unanimity on every decision. So with Spain alienated, the nationalist leader’s EU aspirations appear, at best, overly optimistic.
Spanish rejection does brings her a little closer to her principal objective of a second referendum.
Without hope of an EU deal, however, let alone EU entry, any time soon, her referendum demands look high risk.
Martin Redfern.
4 Royal Circus,
Edinburgh.
Solution to integration?
Sir, – The report by social policy expert Dame Louise Casey highlighted the failure of many immigrant groups to integrate in the UK.
May I suggest something that may help?
Central and local government should only publish documents in English and not foreign languages.
Colin Cookston.
Stenton,
Hatton Green,
Glenrothes.
Debate and understanding
Sir, – One of the main events for our college in 2017 will be another symposium bringing together people from all walks of life to discuss how we can all live peacefully worldwide.
The symposium is a natural extension of our public lectures and our internationally-recognised programmes that encourage debate and dialogue between diverse communities.
During our first symposium, I was struck by the desire of delegates from different ethnic backgrounds, faith and non-faith positions to debate how changes could be achieved.
Shortly afterwards, senior Dundee school pupils visited the college and demonstrated a real commitment to embrace multiculturalism.
I was heartened and told them they would be ideal ambassadors.
After all, Dundee is a city that has a fine record in the field of multiculturalism, thanks to the natural friendliness of its people and straightforward and honest manner.
We are pleased to be in this proud and changing city, focusing on education, research, debate and scientific understanding of Islam and the role of Muslims in the 21st century.
Dr Hossein Godazgar. Principal and Vice Chancellor,
Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education, Dundee.