Sir - Much has been written both before and during the current election campaign about the dire state of the NHS and the need to spend yet more money to provide more doctors, nurses, hospital beds, drug treatments and procedures.

However I have yet to read or hear anything from any political party regarding their policy towards improving public health.

Surely prevention is better than cure, we know that eating and drinking to excess, smoking and a lack of exercise results in a whole range of preventable diseases from diabetes to cancer.

Yet where are the policies to combat these lifestyle issues?

Are our politicians frightened to confront the public with the inconvenient truth that many of the problems faced by the NHS are down to them?

Yes we need to treat people when they fall ill but surely it is better all-round if fewer people become ill in the first place.

Bryan West

Worcester