Consequences of the health visitor shortage

SIR – The Princess of Wales spoke passionately about improving the lives of under-fives (report, November 26).

One of our greatest failings in this regard is the decline in the number of health visitors – a drop of almost 40 per cent since 2015. Most mothers will remember those first weeks at home with a new baby – the uncertainty of how to care and look after a small and often crying child. Family help can be far away.

This is where a health visitor can give much-needed advice and support. Without this, is it any surprise that there has been an 81 per cent rise in perinatal mental health problems in the past year, and a 71 per cent increase in child safeguarding concerns?

Mothers and families need help and support. A good health visitor can provide it. There should be more.

Gill Kenny

Chiddingfold, Surrey

SIR – Your report (“The doctor will see you now... 265 miles away from the surgery”, November 29) fails to mention that the practice in question delivered 93 per cent of its appointments in October face to face.

Practices work in different ways to meet the needs of local communities, depending on factors such as patient choice and population differences. At a time of severe staff shortages, new ways of working can be the difference between having a GP working for the practice remotely or less than full time, and having no GP at all.

Singling out individuals is unfair. It hurts morale just when GPS are leaving at an unsustainable rate. The ultimate losers are patients, who will wait longer for care as their GP has quit.

Dr Kieran Sharrock

Acting chairman, British Medical Association England GP Committee London WC1