Another tragic death

The death of a mother of six children in her thirties is tragic. The circumstances surrounding her death included the failure of her GP to make a house call, which in itself was a consequence of decisions on house calls being made by non-medical staff at the surgery.

At the lady's inquest the coroner commented adversely on the house call arrangements. NHS West Kent is to mount an investigation.

The GP in question has given years of service to the local community. The surgery, next door to the Number One Community Centre which I was very much involved with a few years ago, is in an area of deprivation. The area has a host of problems which impact on health.

The local newspaper, The Courier, published a very fair and balanced report.

As in the case of Tiffany it would seem that one mistake may have been a contributory factor in the loss of a life. The two sets of circumstances indicate the need for vigilance by our public services.

We should not hound people on the front line who have given a lifetime of devoted service to the community. GPs and social workers in areas of deprivation are under enormous pressure. Our questions should focus on asking why there are these pressures and how to overcome them.