Private and public healthcare

Sir, – Turlough O'Donnell (Letters, May 20th) states that in the Covid-19 pandemic, "maintaining empty beds at enormous cost to the taxpayer is immoral, unethical, an example of economic incompetence, and nothing short of a national scandal".

Surely maintaining our “healthy if you are wealthy” healthcare system is much more immoral, unethical, an example of economic incompetence, and nothing short of a national scandal? – Yours, etc,