I REFER with outrage to the comments made by Mr T Collins in yesterday's letters column referring to the pharmacy department at the Great Western Hospital.

Although not a pharmacist, as a fellow member of the back room staff at the GWH, the lack of recognition and support from the general public never ceases to amaze me.

Of course, Mr Collins may have highlighted a problem but to put the blame solely on pharmacy staff is typical.

It may be a shiny new building but many departments have brought the same old problems that existed at PMH with them and are trying to deal with new ones, even six months down the line.

Chronic staff shortages, retention of staff, lack of functioning equipment, increasing workloads and low staff morale are all areas where most support professions are suffering.

This is unlikely to improve with the government's Agenda for Change, due to role out to all NHS staff in October 2004. This is bringing uncertainty in job roles and future salaries.

It certainly doesn't help when the very public we all work so hard to help with diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, support ( I could go on) fail to recognise the increasingly difficult situation that all staff in this NHS are finding themselves in, medical or not.

WENDY FEAR

(AIBMS) Biomedical Scientist, Biochemistry Dept, GWH

Burghley Park