IN response to the issues raised in your article NHS changes a waste of money, say GPs (Echo, May 19), and the letter from GPs on which it is based, the NHS in the North East is committed to providing high quality services in ways that best meet patients' needs, and is already fulfilling this aim with a range of facilities.
While GPs provide valuable services, to provide choice and convenience for patients, GP practices are complemented by facilities such as walk-in centres, NHS Direct and urgent care centres.
As part of the current Our NHS, our future review, patients have told us that they want better access to GPs and at times that suit them. While 84 per cent polled said they were satisfied with health services in the area, 30 per cent said that access to appointments with GPs needs "a lot of improvement", with many saying evening and weekend opening hours should be a priority.
These findings have been fed into the national Our NHS, our future review led by Lord Darzi. The review's interim report committed to providing additional GP practices in areas with the lowest provision of services, and seven of the 12 primary care trusts in the North East will benefit from this. In addition, there will be a new health centre in each primary care trust.
These new surgeries and health centres will not replace existing GP practices, but will provide extra facilities so that patients can exercise their choice and get convenient access to GPs at times that suit them.
Ian Dalton, Chief Executive,
North East Strategic Health Authority

Help hearts
I AM writing to ask Echo readers to spare a couple of hours to help hearts this June by volunteering to support the British Heart Foundation's (BHF) Help a Heart campaign.
In the UK nearly 600 people lose their lives to heart and circulatory disease every day. This summer the BHF aims to raise £1.5m to help fund vital heart research to save and improve lives.
By sparing a few hours to join the team of house to house collectors in the area readers will be investing in the future heart health of the nation.
Heart disease really can affect everyone as I know only too well. Last year I was diagnosed with coronary heart disease. Fortunately my condition was picked up in time but many people aren't so lucky. That's why I think supporting the BHF's Help a Heart campaign is so important.
It's so easy to volunteer – as well as delivering envelopes to homes in your area you can hand them out to colleagues or even ask friends or family to give them out at a club they belong to. Every donation you collect this June will help us save precious lives. To find out more about helping the BHF fund life-saving research, visit bhf.org.uk/helpaheart or email helpaheart@bhf.org.uk
Dr Chris Steele, from This Morning

Keep pupils in
IT is good to see more schools in Sunderland insisting that pupils remain on the premises during lunchtime: an idea that Sunderland Conservatives have long promoted for a variety of reasons.
We cannot expect children to opt for healthy food at school if, as soon as the bell rings, they are allowed to head for one of the many fast food outlets that surround most schools. Healthy school meals have come as a shock to many so some insistence will be needed to change attitudes. Apart from the arguments about the take-up of lunches, there is something sloppy about children loose on the streets during school time. Away from the vigilance of teachers a few will always behave in a way they would not at school.
It really is time for all schools to keep school pupils where they should be at lunchtime: making the most of a short day to catch up on work; play sport or take part in some other beneficial activity.
With the best performing schools in Sunderland already keeping pupils in at lunchtime, establishing a link with achievement, it's time other schools followed and the local authority demonstrated a commitment to improving standards by pressing them to act.
Councillor Robert Oliver, Conservative Children's Services Spokesman

Dyslexic girls
GIRLS with dyslexia are less likely to have their condition identified than boys. I have produced a free fact sheet on the subject to reach as many parents of dyslexic girls as possible
The term dyslexia comes from the Greek for "difficulty with words".
Dyslexic girls may not be getting "a fair crack of the whip" when it comes to diagnosing their condition. It is likely that there are many girls whose learning difficulties and dyslexia is not adequately recognised. The fact that many boys are referred because of reading/literacy difficulties, is likely to be because of the way that they express their frustration in an outwardly directed fashion. Girls tend to internalise their feelings to themselves in class. The fact sheet is free and is available from: "Dyslexia in Girls Fact Sheet", Appleford School, Shrewton, Nr Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 4HL. Tel: 01980 621020 E-mail: factsheet@appleford.wilts.sch.uk
Dr Peter Gardner,
Chartered Psychologist