Patients' right to privacy abused.

I feel compelled to write on behalf of all our staff who reacted with outrage and disgust at the publication of the photos taken by Alan Knowles in the May issue. They are a total and clear abuse of the right to privacy and dignity of family members entrusted into our care. One

Co-editors note: The points raised in this letter and the following ones, on the photographic essay published in the May issue, were answered in last month's issue. Please read the editorial on p2 and a viewpoint by photographer Alan Knowles on p10 of the June issue for responses.

staff member commented that, if that is what it takes to get a pay rise, she would rather not have one.

Also, the article by Anne Manchester in the same issue ("The reality of aged care for families, p28-29) paints an incomplete picture. There is a very good training programme available to caregivers in the Aged Care Education modules. We now employ four very competent caregivers who have recently attained the Certificate in Care of the Older Person, with many other staff well on their way.

Caregivers are a special breed of people. They are compassionate, loyal to residents, hard working and dedicated. They are certainly worth more than the Government sees fit to pay them and it is time they were valued and rewarded, but not at the expense of residents' pride and dignity.

Jacky Summers, nurse manager, Alpine View Care Centre, Christchurch