HEALTH Secretary Alex Neil should take his head out of the sand, no, make that mire, after the latest bad report on the state of hygiene at Hairmyres Hospital.

This hospital has been the recipient of endless criticism over the past five years in respect of poor service, hygiene and food, and still it goes on.

Mr Neil, his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon, and NHS Lanarkshire chief executive Ian Ross keep assuring us of improvements, robust action and the old chestnut, "lessons will be learned."

It's time Ms Sturgeon and Co sorted out Hairmyres. If not, they should dismiss the incompetents and employ a proven troubleshooter.

FMK East Kilbride

Jim's a hero

Jim Murphy may be a career politician but don't forget the Clutha tragedy, when he risked his life by helping some of the injured to safety.

I remember him still smiling on TV while his shirt was blood stained. A job well done, and a potentially a great leader.

J Paterson Rutherglen

City criminals

WHEN I worked in a bank, admittedly many years ago, if there was the slightest hint of financial wrongdoing, you were marched to the manager's office and the police were called.

Strange then today that, despite the admitted criminality of our big banks over mis-selling and fixing interest and lending rates, not a single British banker has ended up in the dock, or the jail.

It's high time a few high heid yins swapped the City for the cells.

Richard McNeill Clydebank

Final frontier

HOW is it that scientists can land a space probe on a comet after a 10-year, 4billion mile journey, yet my local carpet company can't tell me when, in a 12-hour window, the fitters are likely to arrive?

I spent the whole of Tuesday waiting in for them, having had to take the day off work, only for them to arrive at 5.15pm.

When do I normally get home from work? That's right, 5pm!

May Wallace Knightswood