I was deeply saddened to see something as sensationalist and exploitative as your front-page Gagged story.

We have not been denied the right to know you have reported the incident and the patients involved have been told.

As far as I can see, the only things you are not allowed to report are the names of the hospital, the patients and the the health service employees.

Paramedics, doctors, nurses, police officers and first aiders put their lives at risk every day treating people who have dangerous infectious diseases.

They take every possible precaution to reduce the chance of a patient infecting them, or that they could infect a patient.

Yet several health care workers have become infected with HIV, hepatitis, TB and MRSA.

Would you be happy if you had a car crash and the paramedic would only treat your injuries if you could show proof of recent HIV and hepatitus tests?

John Waterworth

Warren Road

Orpington

Ed: The News Shopper has the greatest sympathy for the people caught up in this terrible situation, especially the HIV positive healthcare worker. However it would be wrong to ignore this vitally important story and not let our readers know what is happening.