To the best of my knowledge, no government has acknowledged the fact that charitable donations often help to equip and maintain our hospitals.

Until recently, I was proud to be associated with the League of Friends of Horsham Hospital, but I am now seriously questioning whether this amateurish approach is the right way to run the NHS in the 21st century, particularly when I have read that we are one of the richest countries in the world.

I was even more shocked to read on the front page of the same edition of the WSCT 'that the air ambulance is totally reliant on donations'.

This is a life saving service and should not be treated as an expensive luxury, which the public must fund if they want to keep it running. Perhaps someone can tell me how this has come about?

This has set me wondering if other EU member countries rely on the goodwill of fundraisers to help run their hospitals and do they also rely on charity ships, jumble sales and collecting tins to finance medical research?

MAUREEN HOUNSOME
Blunts Way, Horsham