IT IS good to see that Hugh Bayley is fighting to uphold “the founding principles of the NHS” (The Press, April 11) and wants to see an end to the “post code lottery” of funding.

Sadly this item made no reference to the issue I queried back in February – how on earth does fining York NHS £8.5 million help improve this situation?

I appreciate that Hugh may not feel able to justify this Labour policy, which is perhaps why we didn’t see a reply to my letter.

I also suspect that as it is a policy that sits very nicely with the Government’s plans for the NHS; Julian Sturdy didn’t rush to comment either.

Nevertheless, judging by the emails and other comments I received, I am no the only person who very much wants this utterly nonsensical policy explaining.

It makes sense to me to invest more money in services that are struggling to deliver or at the very least to reconsider the way targets are set.

Taking money away can only make things worse, how can anyone possibly believe otherwise?

Richard Hind, Alma Grove, York.