'At Your Service' television series research: letters to which standard replies were sent

These letters, often long and meticulously written accounts, tend to contain complaints about various aspects of the health service, treatment received, medical personnel and charges, covering GPs, pharmacies, hospitals, psychiatrists, dentists and opticians. They frequently include requests for medical or legal advice (which the producers were not able to provide) and it is obvious that many correspondents misinterpreted the Sun article as a means of obtaining help. Many letters contain stories of alleged medical incompetence or neglect.

These correspondents were sent a standard reply (a sample of which is not contained in the file). In most cases the letter is annotated at the front with the researcher's comments and analysis of the type of complaint or issue raised. Most of the letters are addressed to producer Jack Smith, Granada Television, Manchester.