6 July  2007 MP Takes Up Concerns Over Diminishing Numbers of Healthcare Workers North East Herts MP Oliver Heald has taken up concerns raised with him about the falling numbers of health visitors, nursery nurses, support workers and midwives in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire area. Oliver has been approached by the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Local Medical Committee and its Chief Executive, Dr Peter Graves. The doctors have discovered that the numbers of health visitors, nursery nurses, support workers and midwives for the year 2005/06 show a fall of 10% in one year. The doctors are now investigating the overall trends. The doctors comment, “The strength of the Primary Healthcare Team over the last forty years has been the progressive integration of strong teams focused around registered lists of GPs and their practices. We remain convinced that the demise of this focus will fragment teams, break channels of communication and jeopardise patient care.” Oliver Heald has immediately tabled Parliamentary Questions, asking for the reasons for the decline in numbers and for assurances that Ministers are committed to health visiting in Hertfordshire.  Commenting, Oliver Heald said, “It is worrying if the marvellous Primary Healthcare Teams in Hertfordshire are being damaged by Government policy. I was concerned to learn of this fall of 10% in numbers in one year. This is clearly a matter of concern and I will continue to press the case.”