Dear Editor,

The pandemic has been a medical emergency which in time has become both a social and economic one. We may well be in the throes of the beginnings of a second wave and further lockdowns. Whilst the first wave saw a great emphasis on protecting the NHS and ensuring that it was not overwhelmed, this came at considerable cost in terms of extra non-Covid deaths and general misery.

In recent weeks I have received much feedback and have witnessed at firsthand how the medical system has retrenched itself. It is difficult to see a doctor and having surgery delayed for months on end can lead to real problems for those in need of medical help. Whether it is an increased danger of serious illness, crippling incapacitation or pain, these are all not desired outcomes for our families and communities.

This problem is complex and cannot be blamed on nurses or doctors. The system is too bureaucratic and continues to be underfunded for what is expected from it. I understand that some services are going back to normal, and I am sure that we all welcome the reopening of the Minor Injuries Unit at Andover on October 1. However, the fact that NHS England has invited GP surgeries to be more flexible in seeing patients is telling. Under our system, GPs act as the gateway for the NHS and if they are not functioning as such due to lockdown or restrictions, self-imposed or otherwise, then we have a major problem. Furthermore, access to NHS facilities in many cases is also reliant on the testing regime, and I have had stories from many fellow residents that suggests it is far from world-beating.

Moving forward, I do think that the whole NHS structure needs to be more responsive to local needs and less bureaucratic. In this respect, the proposed reorganisation of the local clinical commissioning groups, which control elements of health provision, into a single Hampshire group does not appear to be the way to go.

Luigi Gregori, Charlton Road, Andover.