From Mr Andrew Haldenby.

Sir, Martin Wolf's argument on medical training - that the failure of recent policy is down to central planning rather than "an excess of free market zeal as many on the left believe" - applies just as much to the rest of the National Health Service ("A terrible way to treat our doctors", September 7). Central planning decisions to increase manpower and traditional hospital infrastructure have defined the development of the service in the past eight years. They have absorbed the historic increases in health financing, preventing investment in innovative, more efficient services. Meanwhile, liberalisation of provision has barely begun and in some areas is in retreat. Will the Department of Health learn this wider lesson during its current health policy review?