SIR - I needed to have a blood sample taken a week last Sunday.

I rang 3 hospitals, spoke to three doctors and even rang a hospital in Basel where I was going to be on holiday on the Monday. It was obvious that I was on the point of cancelling my holiday because nobody could take a sample and have it analysed before I went. The only person who had some common sense was my cleaner who advised me to get in touch with a district nurse.

I did so and the procedure turned out to be amazingly simple.

Why was nobody else in the NHS able to make a simple suggestion that enabled me to take my holiday as planned? Why are there no essential back up systems in place at weekends? Why was everyone I spoke to saying that there was no solution when the solution was staring them in the face?!!!

Mrs Chris Walker

Droitwich