I HAVE often wondered why it is that the NHS is so difficult to control.

My belief is that those who actually run the NHS take little notice of their political lords and masters.

The politicians make the policies and grab all the publicity for doing so.

But when it comes to implementation and day-to-day management, people like David Cameron and Jeremy Hunt have little involvement and even less interest.

Despite Hunt having presided over the NHS deficit build-up to about £2.5 billion, he is highly praised as “having done a good job”

and, on the strength of that, is highly fancied as a future prime minister.

Failure is good in politics, it seems.

But, of course, what we might see as failure is often seen by politicians as huge success.

Such is the gulf between them and us.

I think it is called “professionalisation of politics”.

In reality, there is almost no way either Cameron or Hunt has much time to spend on the NHS.

A quick glance at a financial report occasionally and a few cosy meetings in a comfortable office with plenty of coffee and cakes.

R Havenhand Cheshire