WITH reference to a letter printed in last week's Citizen -- Prisoner got preferential treatment at hospital.

This is the second letter to appear in The Citizen from members of our so called, civilized society whingeing about the fact that less fortunate members of society are being treated in our hospitals, and the letters have alleged preference is being given to prisoners over honest citizens.

Last week's letter was particularly weak. However I managed to pinpoint a number of statements that riled me.

Prisoners take no priority over anyone else in waiting for treatment and while it may appear that once they are in hospital, having waited for their place, that they are then treated immediately.

Well quite honestly that is the way I would prefer it to be. That prisoners are escorted by two officers, well once again that is exactly how I would expect it to be.

That the officers then spend their time brewing up, sleeping, reading or watching television -- how would we like them to pass their time? Handcuffed to a convicted criminal is not the way I would choose to spend my time and in waiting for a prisoner to receive their treatment, the options are limited.

Perhaps the whingeing members of our society would prefer to see prisoners go untreated.

An informed member of society.

Name and address supplied.