SIR - I finished night-duty at Bradford Royal Infirmary on Saturday morning, came home and listened to the news before going to bed.

The first item concerned the day trip that Gordon Brown was making and the pledge of £100 million for the reconstruction of Iraq.

Forgive me for being a little grumpy after a hard night at work in the struggling NHS, but couldn't that money have been better spent at home?

There are patients being shipped all over the hospital in search of a bed, due to ward closures. Newly qualified nurses and midwives cannot get work in their chosen profession because of cutbacks in staffing.

Last week I was served by a physiotherapist at a sports goods store, who was de-skilling behind the till, again because there was no role for her at Bradford hospital.

I am sad to say the people of this country voted the present government into office. Even worse, many people didn't bother to vote at all.

In their case, they cannot complain that the elderly and sick get shunted from ward to ward and that there are not enough nurses to care for their loved ones.

As for the rest of the population, who at least put an X' in the spot, please think before you vote next time.

Mrs Cathy MacKay, Bailey Hills Road, Bingley