VIEWPOINT FOR 4 JUNE 2009
FROM DR RICHARD TAYLOR 

By the time you read this, voting will be well under way for local and European elections. 
It will be a day or two before we see the full effect of the results on Gordon Brown and the Government but with the Home Secretary’s (Jacqui Smith - Redditch) announcement of her resignation that was expected but was still surprising because of its timing, we can be sure of a reshuffle of the cabinet very soon. 
We now wait to see whether the reshuffle, the main Parties’ promises to strengthen the House of Commons and a new Speaker will make changes that make the House of Commons more effective at holding the Government to account.
_________  

Another potential casualty of a reshuffle, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Hazel Blears - Salford), had what may have been her swan song on Monday introducing the second reading of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill. 
I often feel that Ministers and front bench spokespersons take far too long over their speeches to the detriment of the time left for back bench contributions. However her speech lasted 54 minutes but she took, what could be a record, 40 interventions from other MPs during her speech.

After looking at the vital House of Commons Library briefing on the Bill 
I decided to vote with the Government in favour of the second reading as I thought the opposition dislike of the Bill was perhaps based on automatic political opposition rather than on the merits of the Bill.
________  

Last week I visited the kidney dialysis unit at the hospital and was delighted to see it in full use with all the dialysis stations occupied by patients each receiving one of their thrice weekly sessions in comfort and safety locally rather than having to go to a major centre. 
The service has been so successful that a similar unit is being opened in Worcester . 
If Worcester patients at present coming to Kidderminster for their session of dialysis choose to return to Worcester there may be spare slots here. If these are not immediately needed there may be an understandable move to reduce the sessions here. I will push for the retention of all the current ‘twilight’ shifts as these are vital for people still working despite their kidney failure.
________

I was pleased to visit the Bewdley Youth Café for the opening last Friday. 
I was impressed with all the hard work that has been put into this for local young people by the small executive group who faced problems with the water and electricity supplies to say nothing of the renovation of the building itself. Now it provides breakfast, home work, internet and relaxation facilities in pleasant surroundings and I am sure it will become a vital part of the Bewdley town centre.
________  

On Sunday I was privileged to lay the wreath at the Rededication of the Boer War Memorial in Kidderminster cemetery. 
The memorial has been cleaned and restored by the War Memorial Conservation Trust. Although there are only three names on the Memorial two of the Trustees, Ruth Butler and Don Giles have discovered the names of 25 Kidderminster men who gave their lives for their Queen and country in the Boer War and these are recorded in a booklet written by Don Giles.

R.T.

© Independent Kidderminster Hospital & Health Concern 1995-2009
(webdesign@chaddesley-corbett.co.uk)