Matt Hancock states that “The NHS is a huge employer of women – I want it to be one of the best as well” (theguardian.com, 25 April). His intention to reduce bullying and harassment is laudable, as is his desire to increase flexible working. But has he paid sufficient attention to the enormous discrepancies between the civil servants and the frontline workers in his own area of responsibility?
For example, the Department of Health and Social Care reports a gender pay gap of 10.5%, as opposed to the 23% in the NHS. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that the DHSC offers 26 weeks on full maternity pay, while NHS frontline staff are only entitled to eight weeks on full pay and a further 18 on half pay. Given the urgent need for frontline staff in the NHS, and for gender equality, it would be timely to address these inequities.
Dr Carole Easton
Chief executive, Young Women’s Trust
• Linda Theobald says “The NHS is broke because of obesity” (Letters, 24 April). On the contrary, according to research commissioned by the Dutch government in 2007, although obesity prevention leads to a decrease in costs of obesity-related diseases, this decrease is offset by cost increases due to diseases unrelated to obesity in life-years gained. Put simply, the average slim jogger who dies in his 90s costs more to the NHS in the long term than the obese person who dies prematurely – and draws a pension for far fewer years. While obesity prevention is important for healthy living, it cannot be a substitute for a well-funded NHS.
Ted Watson
Brighton
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