Beware the god of consensus, wrote Kay Wong, chief officer of Barnet CHC (Consultation has its limits -- even in the NHS, letters, October 22). That seems to echo the views of those who over the last two decades advocated policies that proved to be so divisive in this country.

The National Health Service needs not more divisive adversarial attitudes but more collaboration and partnership to be able to get the utmost out of the limited resources with which it has to provide services for patients.

Consultation, as Kay Wong rightly says, is often not a comfortable process and has not always been satisfactory to everyone. What can produce the best results is when everyone works, in partnership, with a common aim. That may mean taking in the reality of a situation and it may mean compromise but if everyone works together and everyone takes responsibility then it might well achieve a great deal more than what Kay Wong calls "old fashioned public consultation", the shortcomings of which she accurately points out.

Consensus may not be agreeable to those with extreme views but it is what democracy is all about. And if we can get more democracy in the NHS we will succeed in getting a more responsive and responsible service, which is what most of us inside and outside the NHS want and I am sure Kay Wong wants too.

Anthony Jacobson

Barnet Health Authority

Edgware Road, Colindale

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.