Child at risk: Letters, 9 February 2012

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Here you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.

Tauranga possesses top-quality hospital

I must say I received quality treatment when taken ill in Tauranga.

Now recovered, praise must be given to the medical and nursing staff of Ward 3a at Tauranga Hospital.

The attention of Mr Thwate and his medical team over six days was professional and of the highest order, while Carolyn Gent, clinical and nurse manager, should be proud of the standard of care, attention and friendliness from her team to a stranger from Scotland ... nothing was too much trouble.

This praise is not lightly given as my wife was a hospital ward charge nurse in the United Kingdom over 25 years and has seen various standards of care in that time.

My experience was traumatic in that we had been called as a result of a family bereavement.

I had been in the country but three days following a 36-hour flight to New Zealand from Scotland.

This pneumonia and other problems followed 72 hours later.

Being a former CEO of a large Shire Council in Scotland, too, seldom does appreciation get registered.

While no organisation is perfect, residents of Tauranga you should be proud of a quality facility in your area.

Again my sincere thanks to Tauranga Hospital.

Mike Barron, Scotland

Health info vital

I would like to think there is a place for natural health clinics.

This requires acceptance by the medical profession that alternative healthcare, which works well for some, has a place in society.

It also requires that those practising natural health advise clients about the serious illnesses that can arise from some complaints.

Perhaps this could be done by displaying and offering brochures with symptoms in such as meningitis, melanoma, measles, pneumonia, acute mastoiditis etc.

I have inquired at seven natural health outlets and been told they don't display such information.

Such illnesses often require immediate medical attention.

It is not always possible to save a life, however if the clients are aware of the potential danger with some symptoms, they can then make a well-informed choice.

I also appreciate there can be human error with conventional and natural health treatments.

I have had the experience of losing a sister to meningitis. This sad tragedy resulted from acute mastoiditis.

She followed homeopathic and natural health pathways throughout her adult life.

As an adult that was her choice, but was it a fully informed one?

I would be interested in seeing readers' viewpoints on this letter.

Carol Edwards, Tauranga

Child at road risk

I would like to nominate the stupid woman we saw riding her bicycle at full speed down Bellevue Rd on Tuesday at 3.15 in the afternoon, with a small child wearing an ill-fitting helmet on its head sitting on the handlebars of the bike, for Mother of the Year.

It beggars belief that the woman would think that this was okay.

At that time of the day that part of Bellevue Rd is very busy and very congested with cars coming from the high school and people dashing in and out of the supermarket.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that if she hit a bump or had to suddenly swerve to avoid a car what the outcome would have been.

Yvette Watts, Brookfield

Why such costs?

The reason why housing is unaffordable to the average family is the extremely high city council cost of development.

I cannot see where all the costs come into the process, except to pay for all the deadheads that they have employed to oversee the process of development, resource consent and even the salary they pay to the chief executive.

What about those that they employed to oversee the building process concerning the leaky homes situation?

A carpenter could see the potential for major problems, but because the council approved the permit, then why argue?

The council has blamed the cowboy builders. But I blame the council and the government standards for the problem.

Come on city council, get off your high horse and bring down the costing to a reasonable level so that affordable housing can be built.

Good on Bob Clarkson. I stand with him with what he is doing.

Terry Grimes, Mount Maunganui

Back homes plan

Re: Bob Clarkson's wish to provide affordable homes in Tauriko.

This plan is unique, well thought out and workable.

Mr Clarkson has got the vision, generosity and intestinal fortitude to tackle the housing problem right at the heart of it - land values.

He also has the experience and means to see it through.

Our council should recognise this; be grateful that he wants to do it in this area, and get right behind him.

They have done so for the university campus, now let's see them cut through the red tape and add a little generosity of their own to get this proposal approved and under way smartly.

Barbara Hogg, Matua