Having only last year celebrated its 60th anniversary, one might think that the NHS is going from strength to strength, but far from it. Its care of children still leaves much to be desired.

On June 12, my wife and I did a day trip of 300-plus miles to visit our grandchildren in Hyndburn.

Our 10-year-old grandaughter had an appointment that day at Accrington Victoria Hospital for an X-ray on her foot, which two days earlier, her GP had thought may be fractured or chipped.

The fact that she had been hobbling around in pain made no difference to the two-day wait she had to endure before she could receive an X-ray to ascertain the extent of her injury.

She was taken to the hospital appointment for her X-ray by her father, who asked for the results when the X-ray had been completed.

He was informed that they were being sent to our ‘super’ hospital in Blackburn, where within the next three weeks, someone would look at them and inform her GP of their findings.

In the meantime, no painkillers, no advice, and a total lack of care or concern were administered.

What a wonderful service! Pity that our grandaughter is not a professional footballer, who would have known within minutes whether or not she had sustained a serious foot or metatarsal injury.

Another brilliant advert for our supposed caring, improving NHS!

Noel Eke, Castle Douglas.