I read with interest your article on NHS waiting times (How do we tackle NHS waiting times?, State of the nation, February 12). Towards the end of last year I consulted my GP, who referred me to Stirling Community Hospital for an ultrasound examination, and I was given an appointment for January 9. Two days after that I again visited my GP to discuss the outcome of the ultrasound and was told I required to have an MRI scan at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert; that procedure took place on February 10. At all of these GP and hospital appointments I was seen on time and received courteous and professional attention in a calm atmosphere from all the health professionals concerned.

My family and I have more reason than most to be grateful to the NHS as two of my children have had very serious illnesses over recent years and I suffer from a chronic health condition. We have received outstanding healthcare not only from the hospitals and GP practice mentioned above, but from hospitals in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

I appreciate that there are problems and challenges facing our NHS, but credit should be given where it is due, and how depressing it must be for those working in our health service to be constantly told that everything is awful. Having heard some horror stories from relatives and friends in England, and after seeing on television recently the chaotic scenes in some English hospitals, we should perhaps consider our glass more than half-full. Certainly, this patient can only express gratitude to Scotland's NHS for their fantastic care.

Ruth Marr

Stirling