I have just received my Professional Carer's Badge to allow me to park when I visit patients.

The public should be aware Brighton and Hove City Council is going to force care workers, district nurses, midwives, health visitors, community psychiatric nurses, social workers and doctors to pay to visit the housebound, the sick, new mothers, children at risk, the mentally ill and many others.

The rules of use of these permits are very clear and are printed on the back. Permits can be used only in "urgent situations" which specifically exclude "non-urgent home visits".

For those, the professional carer has to "pay any relevant charges".

If you live in one of these areas, are housebound and need regular visits from a professional carer - say, a nurse to dress your leg ulcer - I would be very concerned because they might not be able to afford to visit you.

The final insult is that we are allowed to use these permits in a situation to provide "immediate treatment to avoid possible loss of life" but, before we rush into the house, we must fill in the permit with "the house number (or flat number or house name)... together with the time the vehicle was parked". I don't think I'll bother

-Dr Calum Bartlett, Stanford Avenue, Brighton