Some new parents have been told they won't be visited by a public health nurse due to staff shortages in the HSE.

Only young children with proven medical risks or needs are going to be seen, as opposed to universal regular checkups for all babies.

Vicky, a mother of two, was one of the recipients of the HSE's letter informing her of the change, which she told Lunchtime Live inspired "shock".

The letter reads: "In response to staffing shortages in the public health nursing service in Dublin West, the department is moving to a prioritisation system to deliver services and, at this time, the public health nurse service cannot deliver child health services for your child developmental assessment at three months, 9-11 months and 21-24 months and 46-48 months."

Vicky said: "The irony is that at the bottom of this letter it said 'building a better health service'."

"Essentially, it feels like an absolute cop out."

'Vital service'

Her second daughter Riley is almost five months old, having already missed her three month checkup.

Due to COVID-19, other appointments had also been cancelled, which Vicky said was "totally acceptable".

However, she described the home visits as "vital".

"They're absolutely amazing, the public health nurses. Especially at the one week, where you're just out of hospital."

"They also are there to pick up on maybe some other things, not just for the baby, but they're also there to really be a support for the mum."

If you can't look after the most vulnerable members of society, I'd argue we should be ashamed."

Vicky said that the visits give nurses the opportunity to spot conditions such as post-natal depression in women.

"Of course, the primary thing is vulnerable babies."

During the pandemic, two in ten babies and young children were not getting home visits.

That has since risen to three in ten across the country.

Vicky's area of west Dublin is one of the areas worst affected by the shortages.

Listen back to the full conversation here.

Main image shows a nurse and newborn baby on a bed. Image: Ekaterina Demidova/Alamy