The report regarding the delay being experienced by a considerable number of unfortunate persons, victims of severe trauma, in receiving the indicated surgical treatment after acute admission to Mater Dei Hospital, makes sad reading (July 22).

As an old, retired consultant surgeon I know only too well of the distress and dire consequences that such delay is inflicting on a highly vulnerable, often elderly with modest means, sector of our population. The explanations put forward by our health authorities are simply not good enough.

We have now a state-of-the art acute general hospital, working at half cock and still unable to provide the urgent surgical treatment required for a commonplace fracture of the hip in an elderly patient. The situation is piteous.

Some of us are more than familiar with the factors listed as promoting this deleterious delay, however most cannot be satisfied that apologies to mismanaged patients from medical staff concerned constitute an acceptable answer to this problem, however long-standing it may be.

More efficient and vigorous management and the proper deployment of available resources is called for and no resting until the desired results are achieved. This is that every person admitted urgently with a major fracture is dealt with surgically within 24 hours of admission unless precluded by some medical contra-indication to operation.