YOUR article (Evening News, Thursday, April 24) is just about the last straw concerning mismanagement at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

They are now stooping to ask the volunteer Wayfinders to man the reception desk and replace salary-earning staff.

These are the volunteers who take the brunt of abuse, threats, frustration and anger from patients who cannot find car parking spaces and can't make their appointments on time.

All this - and never a senior management representative on hand to aid and assist them.

Even at Christmas, after supplying a superb service to incoming patients ever since the opening, the Wayfinders were not even treated or subsidised for a celebratory Christmas lunch, nor was there a management representative present to boost their morale.

Now they are being asked to subsidise their own health service and local provider as well as paying an additional one per cent to pay for it. What an insult.

Incompetent

I wouldn't blame them if every one of them just didn't turn up for voluntary work again. The health chiefs certainly do not deserve them. Again, what crass mismanagement and incompetent judgement.

Also, the volunteers are not insured by the Worcester Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. They are not even being allowed to push a patient in a wheelchair and help them to their appointment - although some Wayfinders are willing to do this as part of their compassionate service.

If Graham Smith expects to help balance the books in part by using Wayfinders as free labour, I think he has a surprise coming.

Finally, did we have a public statement as to why the last Chief Executive left? I would welcome and expect this, at the very least, from current management.

Yes, let's not forget this is a public service and answerable to the taxpayer.

DAVID EASTWOOD, Worcester.