This must be the first time I have ever had cause to complain about anything medical. My husband has been a blood donor for many years and recently he had an appointment to give blood.

This does mean a certain amount of organisation. When he reached the point of being ready to receive the needle in his arm, the nurse said: “Oh, you have a bite.”

Yes, he agreed, as a keen gardener, this does happen quite regularly and he had suffered one earlier today. She said she had to refer him to the person in charge, who said he was not able to give blood today, and to come back in a month!

Now, whenever he gives blood, he has to be cleared as to visits abroad, and accepts that great care has to be taken. The bite he had sustained was caused by an ordinary British fly, not one from tropical parts, and the mark on his arm was scarcely visible. He was understandably angry – a wasted visit, and less blood for the transfusion service.

If he had presented the other arm nobody would have queried anything – the usual procedures would have been followed and everyone would have been happy. I think he had good cause to feel frustrated.

Heather Causnett, Escrick Park Gardens, Escrick, York.