The consultation on the merger of Primary Care Trusts
concluded yesterday.
I have opposed the
merger into one county trust and concluded my response
with this sentence,
"The Government is trying to run a patient-led NHS so this
is exactly the time when they should be listening to the patient
voice and I just hope that the Strategic Health Authority will pass
this patient voice through to the Department of Health."
I visited St. John's CE First School to help them celebrate
OFSTED's Most Outstanding Schools Award and the award of International
School Status.
I understand this is the only school in the County with this OFSTED
Award which is
a great tribute to staff, children and parents. I enjoyed presenting
individual and class awards at Assembly and was inspired by the
optimism, enthusiasm and eagerness to excel on the faces of the
children.
I called on Network (Worcestershire), the electrical
appliance re-use centre on the Firs Industrial Estate to make sure I
had the facts at my fingertips for my visit to the Minister of State
in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on 20 March.
Then I visited Headway House for their celebration of Brain
Injury Awareness Week.
I was impressed with their facilities in Stourport including the large
garden designed and maintained by many of their clients and
supporters. This must be a real joy to those who have always had their
own garden but due to their disability cannot manage one alone but can
now see the results of their ideas and work here.
Last Sunday my wife and I walked around Bewdley to look at Severnside
South and the deployment of the pallet flood defences on the
Wribbenhall side of the river.
We only caught the end of this demonstration but learnt enough to know
that we can be confident that this effective flood protection can be
erected in the time available after a flood warning.
Returning to London I met Malcolm Wicks MP, the Minister in the
DTI to explain to him the problems for our electrical equipment
re-use centre from the Government's delay in implementing the producer
obligations in the European Directive on Waste Electronic and
Electrical Equipment.
This organisation is already saving tonnes of repairable equipment
from landfill and making available guaranteed household equipment at a
fraction of normal retail prices. It will be a disaster for the
Government's aims on disposal of hazardous waste to lose this.
I made sure the Minister is aware of the value of this county-wide
service and of the urgency of implementation of this Directive.
In a debate on NHS deficits I told the Government just where
the extra money has gone and why deficits still exist.
Instead of allowing time for Trusts to achieve balance, the Government
ignores the facts and imposes irrational knee jerk responses without
considering the consequences.
