I thank The Argus for publishing my letter (December 28) regarding ageism in the NHS. I have received many letters from readers detailing their case histories, most of which made very sad and disturbing reading.

One or two people seem to think I am trying to stop older people having the choice of whether or not they should be resuscitated and I would like to clarify this point.

I do not say that people who are very ill, particularly the terminally ill, should be resuscitated because this ultimately achieves nothing and only causes the patient distress.

What I do say is that people have a right to know an end-of-life decision is being considered in connection with their care.

If the patient is not well enough to have this conversation, the next of kin, who is normally the main carer, has every right to know the full seriousness of the loved one's condition.

If doctors feel resuscitation should not be attempted in the event of heart failure, this should be discussed with the next of kin.

There is nothing more distressing after losing a loved one than finding this decision was made without prior discussion with or the agreement of the patient's family.

I thank those readers who took the time and trouble to write to me with their own experiences. I fully appreciate, in most cases, this has been a very difficult thing for people to do.

I will respond personally to every letter I have received.

-Lisa MacMurdie, Director and Founder, Action For Eileen, Enfield, Middlesex