AS the unqualified wife of an Ayrshire GP who does his own on-call from home, I write to take issue with some of the comments made by Dr Kenneth Hambly (May 4).

My husband and his colleagues have continued to provide out-of-hours cover for the patients of Darvel and Newmilns in the traditional manner. It was felt that due to our geographical position, it was unreasonable to expect our patients to attend an out-of-hours centre, which for some of them would involve a round trip of nearly 30 miles.

I help my husband with the provision of an out-of-hours service on a one-in-five rota. I answer the phone and take the patient's details, which I relay to my husband, and the patient is seen as soon thereafter as is possible.

I make no attempt to advise the patient or fob them off; it is our view that no clinical decision can be arrived at without seeing and examining the patient.

It is true that I am unqualified in medicine and nursing but, more important, neither am I clairvoyant and it seems to me that this qualification would be the most relevant in carrying out telephone triage.

If Dr Hambly and his colleagues have a public-relations problem, they should address this without defaming the service provided by those doctors who choose to remain outside Ayrshire Doctors on Call.

Anne W Ramsay,

Newlands Farm, Darvel.

May 5.