Letter: Ashamed to be thought an NHS fat cat Dangers of health service driven by profit

Given the commercial nature of health insurers, should they attract charitable status for rating and taxation purposes? Since they make prioritised and disproportionate use of NHS-trained and occupationally- pensioned medical staff for a small minority of "private" patients, and such patients necessarily enjoy accelerated access to NHS blood banks (since certain operations require blood to be stood by), and private operations anticipate NHS operations which are not for acute cases, could the privileges and advantages of "private" patients be actuarily calculated and repaid? This may result in the NHS being adequately funded.

D Shepherd

London NW4