I, like many of your readers enjoyed watching the TV programmes about our Super Hospital in Glasgow.

What wonderful work is going on there, however, I then read about the number of cancelled operations in Scotland, which were not spoken about, 620 patients had their operations cancelled for capacity and non-clinical reasons in March.

That is 20 patients per day having their operations cancelled through no fault of their own, adding to the distress and anxiety of them and their families not to mention the NHS staff who have to explain the delays and catch up on the work load. The SNP are in charge of the Scottish Health Service but refuse to over-rule the Health Boards decisions.

Recently I have spoken to several elderly people locally who are waiting for knee and hip replacements who have had cancellations more than once. One elderly gent has recently been operated on but doubts if he will ever be able to walk well again since he had to wait so long that his muscles have totally deteriorated and his physiotherapy will last for many months. A year on from the Integration of Health and Social Care Delayed Discharge from hospitals the figures remain higher than when the new Health Boards went live in April 2016. This March 829 patients were waiting to have care packages put in place before they were allowed home from Hospital, an increase of 150 more than last March.

The newly announced Liberal Democrat manifesto pledges to put 1p in the £1 on income tax to put more money into the NHS. I am sure that very few people can object to this measure to ensure that we fix our ailing NHS. Much better than the pie in the sky pledge from Boris Johnson during the pre -referendum days.

Margaret Horrell, Helensburgh. Via email

ON Tuesday, May 9 events will take place across the European Union (EU) to mark Europe Day, an annual celebration of peace and unity across the continent.

Thousands of people will take part in visits, debates, concerts and other events to mark the day and raise awareness of the EU. Celebrations will naturally be more muted here in the UK, as we embark on the process of leaving the EU.

Because the UK is embarking on the Brexit process however does not mean we should not celebrate the EU and its achievements, the foundation of which the UK played a key role in.

The day is also known as Schuman Day, commemorating the historical declaration 67 years ago on May 9, 1950 by the French foreign minister, Robert Schuman, which marked the first move towards the creation of the European Union.

Its creation has proven to be highly successful in transforming a previously warring continent, the foundation of peace, stability and prosperity after centuries of bloodshed.

Since the Schuman Declaration nations across Europe have forged closer links and come together to reach common solutions to common problems, keeping the peace and enhancing our collective security.

The EU gives the freedom to live, study, work or retire in 27 other EU countries and many millions from the UK have taken advantage of this. EU migration to our shores has in turn benefitted our economy and society. Being able to trade with our EU partners via a single market of over half a billion consumers, unfettered by tariffs and trade barriers, is also essential to many Scottish businesses.

It does no harm in being reminded what we have enjoyed, the precious gift of more than 60 years of peace, stability and prosperity in a previously war ravaged continent.

The EU has on the whole proven to be a success story, and as we go through Brexit, leaving it is something we will come to regret.

Alex Orr, policy adviser, The European Movement in Scotland

MAY is the month of the Alzheimer’s Society’s annual Dementia Awareness Week (14-20 May).

The week asks people to unite against dementia by raising awareness and offering help and understanding to those coping with the condition.

Every three minutes someone in the UK develops dementia in the UK – the equivalent of 225,000 people a year.

Dementia is a difficult and challenging illness for those suffering and their carers. Caring for someone with dementia is physically and mentally exhausting – in many instances carers are not only responsible for the physical wellbeing of a patient, but also their financial welfare.

For the last four years, we have been working hard to address the growing issue of companies taking away consumers’ rights to receive their financial information in the format that is easiest for them – be it text, paper, email or a mixture of all three. We have heard organisations pushing people to receive electronic communication, often without their consent and sometimes even without their knowledge.

People suffering with dementia can struggle to remember the passwords, email addresses and pin codes needed to access online accounts. If a person receives paper statements, a carer can easily give financial guidance and provide support, enabling a sufferer to maintain their independence for longer.

We will continue our fight to ensure that consumers’ rights are honoured by companies and we ask your readers to do the same this Dementia Awareness Week. If we let organisations continue to overlook our wishes, it may be too late to get back what we have lost.

Judith Donovan CBE, chair of the Keep Me Posted campaign

THIS week marks Mental Health Awareness Week (8th to 14th May). Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, the theme this year is ‘Surviving or Thriving.’

Rather than asking why so many people are living with mental health problems, this week seeks to uncover why too few of us are thriving with good mental health.

It is crucial to remember that three children in every classroom will experience mental health problems by the time they are 16 and half of adult mental health problems start before the age of 14. While the Scottish Government and society as a whole has begun to treat mental health and physical health equally, we still have a long way to go.

If we are going to truly develop a mentally healthy society, we must begin with a renewed focus on prevention and early intervention, so that our children and young people get the support they need, where and when they need it.

As such, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition have long campaigned for mental health and wellbeing education to be expanded in schools, so that we equip our young people with emotional resilience and coping skills required to thrive in the modern world.

Initiatives such as Mental Health Awareness Week go a long way in moving the national conversation forward, raising awareness of this important issue which affects each and every one of us.

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition, via e-mail

I'M writing to you and your readers to let you know about a brand new fundraising campaign that Independent Age, the older people’s charity, is launching in May 2017. The 100in10 challenge invites participants to cover a total of 100km in 10 weeks in any way they choose. All donations will go towards the charity’s work towards helping older people stay independent for as long as possible.

Participants can take part in the challenge either as an individual or a team, and will help raise funds to support older people to live more independently. Those who take part can walk, run, swim, cycle or be as creative as they like to reach the ‘100’ target in 10 weeks. For those who are less athletically inclined, they could even try baking 100 cookies in 10 weeks instead!

Independent Age is an older people’s charity that provides regular friendly contact, a strong campaigning voice and free, impartial advice on the issues that matter to older people: care and support, money and benefits, health and mobility.

We hope that people get behind our brand new 100in10 fundraising challenge and enjoy taking part. Every penny raised from this campaign will go towards our advice and friendship services and will help us speak up for those who are lonely, vulnerable or in need of help, so participants really will be making a big difference to the lives of older people.

Everyone in Scotland can sign up for the 100in10 challenge now at www.independentage.org/100in10.

Janet Morrison, chief executive of Independent Age

A FEW weeks ago I turned 57, placing me firmly in two risk categories for prostate cancer.

I’ve recently starting working with Prostate Cancer UK and I’ve come to learn that as a black man over 50, my risk of the disease is double that of a white man the same age. One in four black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime compared one in eight white men.

But despite the shocking odds, I find it more concerning that just saying the word ‘prostate’ within many black communities remains such a massive taboo subject. The disease is simply not spoken about, and if it is, it’s in a ‘hush hush, don’t tell anyone’ type of way. How can it be that something that affects so many black fathers, uncles, sons, and friends is continually swept under the carpet and ignored?

My physical and mental health has always been important to me. When I was in the prime of my career, it was the most important thing. However, as I’ve grown older I’ve come to realise that no matter how well I eat, or how fit I am, I am not indestructible – nobody is. But there are defence measures I can take and arming myself with knowledge is by far the most important.

That’s why I’m supporting Prostate Cancer UK’s Stronger Knowing More campaign and I’m urging all your black readers to do the same. Understand your risk of prostate cancer and act on it. This challenge is a marathon, not a sprint and if we’re going to beat it, the whole black community needs to start breaking down the taboos and start talking.

Linford Christie, via email

IN February Theresa May and Ruth Davidson urged Scottish voters to vote Conservative in the council elections and send a message to Nicola Sturgeon, saying ‘No to a second independence referendum’.

The SNP however still won the council elections, with more votes and more seats. It finished as comfortably the largest party, boasting 431 councillors, despite the Conservatives making gains to finish on 276 and Labour on 262 councillors.

The SNP is indeed the largest party in Scotland’s four main cities, replacing Labour as the largest party in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and maintaining its position as the largest party in Dundee.

The SNP is also now the largest party in 16 council area - up from 10 in 2012 - and joint largest in a further three councils.

Despite the Tory strategy of making the council election a referendum on a referendum, while they have done extremely well they did not win and are indeed well-behind behind the SNP.

The General Election is being fought by the Tories using this same strategy. However, it is anticipated the SNP will still finish as the largest party in Scotland, both in terms of votes and will have more than half the MPs. If this transpires to be the case one hopes Ms May will do the honourable thing and meet with Ms Sturgeon as soon after 8th June as possible and make arrangements for the holding of the referendum.

Alex Orr, Edinburgh