Category Archives: Blog

The future for local health services

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Straight on to meet David Sloman, Chief Executive at the Whittington. His issues are around the Health Strategy for London which will begin on 11th July and the Whittington’s own move towards foundation status. This is a bit different from Fortismere’s problems – firstly it is mandatory as the Government as decreed that all hospitals must do this within the next few years. What the Whittington gets out of it is the ability to plan for the long term, revised engagement in terms of real community voices in decision-making, legal and financial freedom. I will consult with colleagues on this in due course.

On the London-wide strategy: some of it seems ok – like stroke victims and heart attack victims going straight to special centres – so long as there are enough in London (i.e. not just shipping people miles away, especially as the first hours are so vital). The local community hospitals like the Whittington are fine too.

Where the battle lines will be drawn – and this refers back to what I said about Hornsey Hospital and the proposed polyclinics. For example – there will be something like five or six in Haringey each serving up to 50,000 residents and will provide super-duper clinics, diagnostics, etc etc. However, it will only financially be viable if they bring in our local GP practices to operate from there. Now – I wouldn’t mind if they swept up the individual single-handed or two men doctor practises and put them in there – that would be improving the service – but I bet they will be after our other practices and I don’t think the community will want to have the normal visit to their doctor that doesn’t require other services moved away from the local.

Maybe I am wrong. We do want after hours services which would be provided on such a site – but I though that the huge hike in doctors pay and contracts was to create extra provision. Ain’t seen nothing yet! So I suspect that may prove controversial. Polyclinics – great – but don’t take away local GP practices.

Meeting Fortismere's Chair of Governors

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Gruelling advice surgery – it can be so draining as people’s problems can be so deep and so distressing. I’ve noticed over the years how simply listening properly to someone who has been frustrated or downed at every turn often results often in the person crying, just because they can finally talk to someone who listens to them. At first I found this really hard – but now I understand that it is a release as finding someone to listen is hard in today’s society.

Then it was straight on to meeting with Fortismere’s Chair of Governors, Jane Farrell, to discuss the ongoing state of the school’s move to Foundation Status. The informal consultation being finished, we are now in the statutory consultation period. The informal stage results were that out of only a 6% response rate, 70% were against (to some degree).

I put forward the suggestion that – based on such a low response rate – the school should go back and ballot the parents, accompanied by a recommending report from the majority Governors who are for the proposal with an accompanying minority report from those Governors opposed. That to me is a way forward that would then, upon the result, re-unite a community which has been divided by this issue creating at times a pretty unpleasant atmosphere. Whatever, the outcome, the school must move forward with any divisions healed.

However, the school’s position is not to offer a ballot. The Governors feel that the statutory consultation period instead offers another opportunity for local parents and others to make their case – and that they as the Governing Body with the remit and duty for making decisions will take the decision based on the responses.

There are some complaints from parents who are asking the Government to review the processes on the informal consultation and consultation with stakeholders because they believe due process has not been followed and I have written to the Minister to ask that he investigate these claims.

One of the other real problems about the process is that the responses to the informal consultation were not available for public scrutiny as indeed neither will be the responses to the statutory consultation now ongoing and closing July 16th. I asked for the responses to be published and Gail – Gail Engert who is the Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson on the Council and who came with me – very helpfully suggested that the Governors could even anonomise the responses so that we can all see the reality of the responses – but not who had made them. Jane said she would consider this. And I think if they will not ballot all parents – then we (all of us) need to see what people have said in their responses so that we can understand on what basis the Governors make and take the final decision.

So – a not altogether satisfactory outcome – as I do believe an all parent ballot would have been a way to settle the business that all could then fall in behind. Second best will be if the Governors agree to publish the responses. Otherwise, for those for whom the decision goes the ‘wrong’ way will never truly believe that the Governors did their duty and had ‘regard to the views of parents’. The Governors have always told me that they believed that the ‘silent majority’ support the proposal. They may be right – but seeing is believing.

Some issues on which I asked for clarification additionally which people have raised with me are as follows:

– people have been concerned that the land that Fortismere owns would and could be sold off. Jane assured me that both the Head and Governors are opposed to selling off any of the land whatsoever. Furthermore, that should this ever arise, it has to be agreed to by both the Secretary of State and the Council. The school has put two people together in a bursar role to start fund-raising for the money they need as a consequence of lack of financial support from both Government and LEA in terms of new buildings monies and the decrease of other funds.

– I had had reports of very worrying behaviour amongst pupils and was assured that the new Head has put in many new initiatives to tackle bad behaviour including a ‘tariff’ by which each misdemeanour carries a different weighting and therefore punishment, employing a behaviour manager, extra staff training on discipline etc. However, one of the problems brought to light is the number of exclusions which are overturned on appeal – something I will pursue.

– statemented children – during the proposals for Foundation Status many parents have been worried that the number of statemented children at the school will be reduced. This would be against the law and cannot happen. However, the school does have issues with the funding for statemented chikdren as if the statement gives the child over 15 hours teaching assistance – then that is extra funding – if not – then it comes out of the normal budget.

Anyway – there was quite a lot more – but this will do for now!

Improving local postal services

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Last meeting of the evening was one I have arranged with the people who said, following my massive postal survey last year, that they would be interested in taking part in a group I wanted to set up to monitor and pressurise local postal services.

The survey found huge problems with late delivery, missed delivery, wrong delivery, no deliver, stolen items etc etc. There was also some praise for individual postmen/women – and the Royal Mail management were good at responding to many of the individual problems – but overall there’s a big problem. (And for those who asked – as a few did! – why does the quality of the post really matter – I’d just ask you to consider, as one example – all those who work from home who miss orders, bills and payments because of post problems).

I went to Hornsey local sorting office a while back (hideously early morning) to learn a bit about how they worked and some of the problems they in turn have. I concluded that if we set up a local group to work with our local sorting offices on local problems that arose – we might improve things on the ground.

I set up BusWatch West Haringey in 2000 and Chris Barker, who took on the lead on this, has turned it into a very successful and influential pressure group which constantly monitors and raises issues on local bus problems and now has a strong voice to champion our local needs. In this light, I asked Chris to come and talk to the group who arrived at The Three Compasses for the inaugural meeting.

The key thing is to really find another Chris – and fantastically our new Chris is to be Mark Galbraith. It isn’t a huge matter of time – but it takes someone who can drive it forward. Mark will be aided by the group. The Group is yet to be named – but I expect it will be something like MailWatch!

Tunde’s story

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With Tune and Lynne AwberyI dashed to Westminster for a three hour debate on Palestine and then back to my constituency office (yoyos have nothing on me) for a quick photo with Tunde.

His story is so moving and extraordinary – that I post it for you here. Lynne Awbery also came for the photo. She has driven the happy outcome for Tunde through – and whilst I helped, so did others. Including – my assistant Thuranie, who phoned Liam Byrne (Labour minister) virtually every day to say I wanted a meeting and clearly drove them mad – culminating in my threat to tackle him in the Lobbies; and Kurt Barling (TV news reporter) who gave this really good coverage.

Lynne (the other Lynne) says everyone’s attitude started to change with Kurt’s report. Between us – we got a result. The following ‘Tunde’s Story’ is written by Lynne:

Tunde was brought to England from Nigeria as a 6 year old, handed over to a woman who was no blood relative and lived a life of domestic servitude, abuse and emotional cruelty, as many children trafficked from Africa do. He was told his parents were dead, but we have discovered his mother only died in 2001 in Lagos, when Tunde was 15. He has no recollection of Nigeria or his family. The man he was introduced to as his uncle, is named as his father on his birth certificate.

At the age of 18 this woman (also Nigerian) ejected him from her family home as presumably he had outlived his usefulness and she could no longer claim child benefit for him and he was left to fend for himself without relatives, money or documentation. He had no birth certificate, passport or any documents to identify who he was, despite having been educated in Haringey for 12 years. As a homeless person, my family and I took Tunde into our home and have supported him for the past two years. I met Tunde when I was teaching at Park View Academy in Tottenham, where he had specialist support for his severe dyslexia. Despite being educated in Haringey for over 10 years, Haringey would take no responsibility for his situation – he was not entitled to apply for housing or benefits as he was identityless.

I contacted every authority and institution set up to help vulnerable people, but none could or would help Tunde, but despite his dire circumstances, had gained a place at university. He applied to Haringey for a student loan, but was turned down as he had no documents to prove he was allowed to be in the UK. In desperation I contacted a journalist from the BBC who has been following Tunde’s story. He has been magnificent in supporting and guiding us to obtain documentation – which he did single handedly from Nigeria – and steering up towards a reputable solicitor.

Tunde’s documents are with the Home Office and have been for 6 months – we have recently been told that because he has been here illegally for 14 years, he may not be granted leave to remain or settled status, despite none of this being his fault. He would then be under threat of deportation to a country he knows nothing of, without family, friends or finance.

The chances of a young, black, dyslexic boy, trafficked from Africa, used and abused and then discarded, making it to university are remarkable. Haringey had the opportunity to celebrate such success against the odds by sanctioning his student loan, but have refused to do so. For the last year, with the help of family and friends, I have financed Tunde’s first year at university.

He is enrolled at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth and following a BA in Animation Production. I have kept in close contact with the university and they are aware of his on-going financial difficulties but have so far not pressed us for the fees. Tunde has become a model student as well as a model citizen and has a successful first year, gaining in confidence and stature, hoping to put the past behind him and move on with his life.

However, Haringey still will not sanction his student loan until they see ‘Settled Status’ stamped in his passport. This is unlikely to be resolved before he returns to university in September and I have now run out of funds to support him. I will be facing the cost of his accommodation, daily living and now 2 years worth of fees. I have trawled the length and breadth of charities to no avail. I have relied on the good will and financial support of friends and colleagues when I believed it would only be for one year.

Tunde’s place at university is now in jeopardy as without the funding he will not be returning in September. My own daughter of the same age is also at university. She has the benefit of a stable, supportive family and a student loan – Tunde’s life is just about to begin when again it looks as if he will have to put it on hold unless we can find sources of funding to continue his education.

Happily he can. We have succeeded. At last the Home Office has granted Tunde indefinite leave to remain – and it is just in time for him to get his student loan – so he is on the road to University and a happy ending.

Breast cancer screening update

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Went to meet Tracy Baldwin, Chief Executive of Haringey PCT (Primary Care Trust) to discuss what has been done to get the breast cancer screening program – which was stopped because of administrative errors – started again.

Sadly Tracy was unwell and so I met her deputy – Gerry. The assurance given at the meeting was that the system has had a rigorous overhaul and that the 8,000 women identified as a top priority for screening would be seen between now and October. Overall it will take three years to get the screening program back on track, and whilst there is a small number of women whose period without screening will have been extended beyond the normal three year period – the longest period of that extension will be 10 months.

They have overhauled the way the program is run – including better quality control, so there should be no repeat of the five incidents and eighteen months it took before action was taken. They are investigating every case on an individual basis to follow through and see if there are any consequences from the suspension of the screening program.

They will publish a report on the findings of their investigations in around two weeks time. We await the report.

As I was there – I took the opportunity to try and find out what was happening on the ‘consultation’ about the Primary Health Care. A local campaigner had contacted me really upset that the promised two open meetings were being held in the summer when many people would be away, the second of which is at the Muswell Hill Assembly on the 23rd July.

Having checked with Cllr Gail Engert who chairs this Assembly, it would appear that this Assembly is focusing on health issues for the older members of our community – and that is what the Trust will talk to. This brings in an update on Hornsey Hospital – but it isn’t the promised ‘open meeting’ to discuss the future of Primary Health Care in the borough.

I will write to the Trust to get the promise of these two meetings confirmed – as I, like the campaigners, fear consultation occurring in holidays or not being carried out in a way that will engage local people properly.

It is absolutely vital that the whole community has a say – as the proposals for poly-clinics which will cater for up to 50,000 patient lists will also mean that GP practises have to move in there too. Whilst the idea may be viable and produce spanking new facilities – which we welcome – I have a sneaking suspicion that funding will be needed and that the plan is to get it from renting to GP practises. And I thought that the new GP contracts were to provide services locally. It might work if the practises could stay where they were – but pay for the fantastic clinics and diagnostics available at the poly – clinics. Anyway – that is why the consultation is vital! We all love our local GP practises and we need to be sure that what is provided adds to our facilities – not detracts from them.

The Royal Society

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A soiree at the Royal Society. Am not entirely sure why I got invited to this – and I rarely go to anything outside my constituency or my portfolio – but I was seduced by the occasion. A Summer Science Soiree – and it was not like anything I had been to before. The building – the Royal Society itself – is just extraordinary: ornate and breathing history. Standing in line on the stairs waiting to be announced I found myself reading the list of past Presidents of the Royal Society – currently Martin Rees (an Astronomer) who greeted me. Running my eyes to years gone by – it does quite make you tingle to read of Sir Isaac Newton and the like. To me – whose academic association with science is distant (and that’s over-stressing it) – it was a glimpse into an entirely different world inhabited by brain boxes – to whom I am totally attracted!

I wandered around the stands which were not high science – but a sort of sophisticated hands-on version of the Science Museum – so we kids would enjoy ourselves. You could do a surgical operation or plot human motion – amongst other things. I ate, had a couple of glasses, meandered and thoroughly enjoyed myself (I know – shock, horror!). Carriages were at 10pm!

Ming makes us laugh at Question Time

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So – Gordon’s first PMQs. Ming scored today – with a joke! Gordon was saying that his door was always open to Ming – and Ming said ‘Yes – a trap door’. It doesn’t quite come over in print – but it rocked the House with laughter – the right sort of laughter. As for Gordon – I thought he was much as you would expect – serious, slightly ill-informed on some issues (as he said – he had only been in the job for five days – but excuses don’t go down too well in the HoC) and he was trying to be conciliatory saying to most questioners – I will consider the points the Honourable Member has made. So – dullsville really!

Treehouse Trust's birthday

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With Lord Clement-Jones at the Treehouse Trust birthdayYesterday I went to a big reception in the Lords for the 10th birthday of TreeHouse. TreeHouse (Trust) is the most fabulous of organisations. Basically – ten years ago two mothers of autistic children got together to say that their kids were not getting the right care and attention – and set up TreeHouse. Lord Tim Clement Jones (Lib Dem colleague in the Lords) leads from the front on this – and together with very committed group of people has taken this idea through to creating the best ever school for autistic children that there is. But it’s not just about the children lucky enough to go to TreeHouse – it is a Charitable Trust which works on improving the case for all autistic children and research etc.

My involvement – well mainly that when TreeHouse were looking to build the proper bespoke buildings they came to my constituency and Muswell Hill. At first local residents were a little concerned about this proposed school on a green site – but it wasn’t green, green – it was land actually covenanted to educational purposes. And the staff are phenomenal – and if you could visit and see the work, the care and the love that these children receive – you would take TreeHouse to your heart the way we all have done. Treehouse has gone out into the community of Muswell Hill and earned its affection. In fact, the birthday cake was from the local bakers and now – we are all as proud of punch to have something this excellent on our patch.

At the event at the Lords, several of the children came and played some music and sang songs. If you don’t know an autistic child – then you will have no concept of just what a momentous achievement those seemingly simple songs were. I take my hat off to everyone involved – a truly moving occasion and such a worthy cause.

Then a quick meeting with the Missing Cypriots lobby opposite Parliament – where I meet up with Susie Constantinides from my local patch where she mother hens the Cypriot Centre. I meet a group of mainly women bearing photographs of young men strung around their necks. These are the missing Cypriots – their husbands, sons and brothers – who disappeared so many years ago and who have never been seen since. Altogether 1,619 Greek Cypriots – including civilians, women, children and old people – have not been seen since August 1974 and their fate remains unknown.

Back to blogging

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You may have noticed a gap in the last few days when my blog postings were not appearing. Sorry about that, but Blogger wasn’t playing ball.

Although when I contacted them, Google eventually replied saying “There’s nothing wrong” (and asked me to check things I’d already told them I had checked!) lo and behold next time I tried, it worked. Lucky coincidence hey!