SIR — In the light of the current austerity drive and the pain being suffered by most of us reluctantly, I have a simple and fair way of reducing some of the financial pressure on one sector – our hospitals.

Having spent quite a lot of time visiting Musgrove Park Hospital over recent months, I note that it is boldly and clearly signed at every entrance and elsewhere that "this site is a smoke-free zone". Not just the buildings, but the surrounding grounds as well.

Every time I enter, I meet a procession of patients slouching in doorways, alcoves etc puffing away like mad things!

Not just the "walking wounded" in pyjamas and dressing gowns, but many of them are leading IV lines around on little tripods or even have wheelchairs and electric scooters with them hitched up.

The most pathetic cases have to be those with breathing difficulties with oxygen lines and tanks hitched up! Is there a special brand of tobacco for this purpose – something like "Embassy for Emphysema" perhaps?

I can't be sure but I suspect that there is also a direct correlation between a lot of these people and low levels of communication skills together with high levels of obesity, tattoos, piercings and other body art, or am I being a social snob?

I have never yet seen anyone approached about this practice and get the impression from the staff that they are too frightened to be accused of bully-boy tactics if they act in any way.

It appears to be the same in all NHS hospitals that I have had cause to visit.

So how about offering patients the choice? Obey the rules for your own health's sake, the comfort of other people and the likelihood that not smoking might actually benefit your treatment, or smoke around the hospital site and – if caught – have NHS-based treatment withdrawn at great savings to the hospital budget.

Oh, and before anyone accuses me of double standards, yes I was a smoker earlier in my life, yes I could quite happily light up again tomorrow and I understand the pleasure it can bring, and yes I am perfectly happy for people to smoke in their own homes etc.

I just fail to see any merit or sanity in someone engaging in anti-social activity directly in conflict with medical treatment and expecting me and other NHS contributors to pay for it.

I leave it to readers to decide whether similar action should be taken in the case of self-inflicted alcohol or drug-related cases which already cost our ambulance services millions each year.

Perhaps if enough services were withdrawn, the money saved could go towards reducing the unreasonable car parking costs that you have to suffer at hospitals.

Cancer patients not receiving radiotherapy but other treatments, and their carers, having to travel from outlying places like Minehead, Porlock, Dulverton etc can find themselves spending £20 in car parking easily in a week.

Richard Gray,

Brushford.