WE were dismayed by the article in the Journal (August 14) about Dr Grant that portrays him in a poor light.

To set the record straight, we have been under his care for many years and having had serious illnesses regard him as a very capable physician.

He is painstaking, conscientious and thorough, and at times has gone beyond the call of duty to help.

Our friends in the neighbourhood who are registered with his practice share our high opinion of him, and we have no reason to believe that his patients elsewhere would disagree.

Doctors do not have X-ray eyes, and it is inherent in their profession that occasionally they will make an incorrect diagnosis.

Mankind is not infallible, and we should not expect doctors to attain that saintly status.

It is unlikely that any doctor could complete his career without making a wrong diagnosis.

To avoid the risk of being pilloried for an incorrect diagnosis, GPs could play safe and refer patients with even the most trivial symptoms to a hospital.

This, however, would result in an impossible strain on hospitals and chaos in the NHS. This would certainly not be in the interests of the public.

Dennis and Sheila McKenzie

Harvington