I AM writing to you as co-chairman of the Association of Healthcare Communicators (AHC) regarding the article by Helen Jones MP which appeared in your newspaper recently.

Ms Jones is getting confused between public relations and corporate communications. Paul Cronin, Chief Executive, North Cheshire Hospitals, NHS Trust was correct when he said: "Good communications are essential to any large organisation in the modern world, and that the days are gone when communications was a bolt-on activity".

The general public expects good communications from its public services, and these can only be delivered by highly-trained, skilled and motivated professionals. It would not be a good use of NHS resource to use other healthcare professionals to provide this function.

The AHC is a professional organisation representing communicators throughout the United Kingdom, setting and raising the standards of good communications in the Health Service. I am sure Ms Jones will agree that this is a worthy aim.

ALAN REID

Director of Corporate Communications NHS Grampian

Co-chairman of Association of Healthcare Communicators