Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson Lynne Featherstone has met the senior manager in charge of the North Middlesex anti-coagulant clinic, Ms Angela Gallagher, to discuss the hospital’s plans to reduce the appalling conditions for patients waiting at the clinic.

The meeting followed an earlier visit by Ms Featherstone following patient complaints about crowds of the ill and elderly waiting to be seen. On her previous visit, Ms Featherstone found that the clinic waiting room has roughly 40 seats, and has been told that as many as 160 patients can be waiting for treatment and are forced to stand. At the Wednesday morning anti-coagulant clinic, most patients are waiting for blood tests, and many are elderly or have heart problems.

Ms Featherstone’s earlier, and unannounced, visit had turned the spotlight on a previously unhurried approach to finding ways to alleviate the situation. At the meeting Ms Gallagher laid out plans to reduce the levels of people attending by a slow and carefully monitored change to Primary Care with some patients being able to attend a GP surgery or a pharmacist rather than the clinic.

Patients would also be able to attend clinics to have blood tests on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons too rather than all on a Wednesday morning. In this way, the hospital hopes to bring order to what has until now been a chaotic situation.

Commenting Lynne Featherstone says:

“I am pleased that moves are at last being made to alleviate the patients’ situation at this very important clinic. It is hard to believe that such a stressful experience for patients was allowed to go on for such a long time. I hope by focusing attention on this issue and continuing to be involved, that the improvements promised to me last week will be on a fast track. The sooner the better.”

Residents around Priory Gardens, N6 are hoping that they will not have to watch where they step after the Council finally erected dog fouling notices, a year after promising Lib Dem Cllr Lynne Featherstone that they would be installed.

The notices that were erected at 3pm last Tuesday (22nd April) following recent correspondence from Cllr Featherstone to the Council expressing her concern over the length of time it had taken for the Council to act on its promise.

It is hoped the signs will deter local dog owners from allowing their dogs to foul the streets by reminding them of the penalty they may incur if they do.

Cllr Featherstone comments:

“I am pleased that the Council finally put these signs up and I am hopeful that this will reduce the problem of dog fouling in the area. However, ultimately it is the responsibility of every dog owner to ensure that they scoop the poop.”

Local Lib Dem Councillors from Crouch End and Muswell Hill held a meeting on Thursday (1st May) with local residents, council officials and social housing managers to discuss the controversial proposed development of 40 flats on Park Road, N8.

At the meeting, concerned local residents voiced their concerns about the likely noise and dust that may be caused by 18 months of construction at the site. They also informed the Council about their desire for improved road safety along Park Road.

Cllr Ross Laird (Muswell Hill), who chaired the meeting, comments:

“This was a very useful meeting, giving residents an opportunity to meet with representatives of the developer and convey their concerns about traffic management to the Council.

“I will endeavour to try and get double glazing put into sheltered housing at The Grove to minimise disruption to residents. Council officers will also now take away concerns voiced by residents about making Park Road safer for pedestrians and residents alike.”

Highgate residents risk car damage and injury because of ‘unacceptable’ pot-holes in and around the Southwood Lawn Road area according to Lib Dem councillor, Lynne Featherstone.

Cllr Featherstone, who has written to the Council on numerous occasions regarding these pot-holes, visited the site and was angered to see that months after contractors had marked around the holes with chalk, they had still not been filled in.

Cllr Featherstone comments:

“I am angered by the failure of Haringey Council to rectify this problem. I measured a pot-hole at the top of Southwood Lawn Road and it was three inches deep. The contractors were ordered to repair it but since marking it a few months ago they have done nothing. “

Highgate councillor Neil Williams adds:

“This is not an isolated problem. I have had complaints from residents in surrounding roads such as Southwood Avenue where pot-holes have remained unrepaired for months on end. The Council must speed up these kinds of repair works to local roads.”