SIR – Re your story ‘Rising cost of more hospital emergencies’ (Worcester News, August 10).

What an eye-opener. I was absolutely astounded to read the contents of this article which states that the trust is losing money because it is having to treat more emergency patients.

Whoever set a national tariff system? How can there be targets for something that is unpredictable, let alone base them on figures from five or six years ago?

The population of Worcester (and Britain) is considerably higher than it was then anyway.

How dare they. People don’t have accidents on purpose.

They are unexpected. Hence they are called accidents and emergencies.

As board member Julian Bion said, the system is a disgrace. I think it should be scrapped altogether.

Carl Ellson [chief clinical officer at South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group] said: “Huge efforts were being made to reduce emergency demand.”

How can you do that then?

It’s impossible.

Instead of all the meetings and discussions just get on with the job of treating the patients.

G SKIPWORTH Worcester