I can't very well let the letter from Lisa MacMurdle (Letters, December 28) go without a reply.

I am 81 years old and have had excellent treatment from our local hospital, The Royal Sussex County.

A friend of mine, a woman aged 64, was recently mugged and had her shoulder broken. She was seen and X-rayed almost immediately and later had an operation.

After that, she had treatment from the hospital senior physiotherapist for many weeks and is now fully recovered. All free on the NHS.

I would not want to be resuscitated and have written a "living will" to instruct anyone to please let me die when the occasion arrives.

I have seen my mother-in-law die slowly over many months. When she pleaded to the staff to let her go, they insisted on resuscitation. They were afraid of people like Ms MacMurdle who would blame them if they didn't.

-Herbert Coulson, Marine Parade, Brighton