Last week, the NHS literally saved my life. I am eternally grateful to my consultant surgeon, Frances Goulder, her colorectal and theatre teams and the nurses and all other staff in Wainwright and Bartlett Wards and the Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, who combined their skills to ensure that I am now at home and beginning the long road to recovery.

What struck me most of all was, despite being overworked, the hospital staff always put their patients first. They were, as might be expected, mostly not of UK origin and it made me wonder how many of the thousands of refugees in this country whose asylum claims have not been processed either from planned neglect or incompetence, have skills that could quickly be utilised in our stretched public services.

Since the arrival of the Romans, Angles, Saxons, Normans and refugees such as Nigel Farage's Huguenot ancestors in small boats, immigrants have contributed greatly to making Britain what it is.

Surely it is time to ensure that all asylum applications are processed within weeks rather than months and legal means of entering the country are available so that refugees can quickly fulfil their desire to contribute to society.



Tom Williams

Harestock Road,

Harestock,

Winchester

Send letters by email to newsdesk@hampshirechronicle.co.uk or by post to Editor, Hampshire Chronicle, 5 Upper Brook Street, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8AL.
All letters and e-mails must include full names and addresses (anonymous letters will not be published), although these details may be withheld from publication, on request, if the reason justifies it.
Letters of 300 words or less will be given priority, although all are subject to editing for reasons of clarity, space, or legal requirements. We reserve the right to edit letters.