Category Archives: Blog

Whittington A&E – Story 9

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Michael’s story:

A couple of years ago, actually late in the evening walking home to Avenue Road N6 from the Annual Meeting of the local residents’ association CASCH, I tripped over a raised manhole cover in the pavement at the Coolhurst Road end of Avenue Road and fell flat on my face. Not a good thing to do at age (as I was then) nearly 70, and I split my chin open right to the bone and did various other forms of no good to my face. My wife drove me straight to A&E at the Whittington, where fortunately it seemed to be a fairly quiet night, and I was treated and patched up with much efficiency and goodwill within an hour of the mishap. It would have been much less convenient to have to go further afield, and as we get older it is actually a comfort that the A&E is so close.

Incidentally, I have had various treatments at the Whittington over nearly four decades, and I have been thoroughly satisfied with them all.

"Freedom, creativity and the internet" – motion passed at LibDem conference

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Very pleased that the following motion was passed at our conference this morning regrading the Digital Economy Bill. There was an excellent debate and at the end I was with just about everyone else in the hall in voting for it:

Conference notes with concern amendment 120a to the Digital Economy Bill which facilitates website-blocking for alleged copyright infringement and which was passed on 3 March 2010.

Conference however welcomes the stand of Liberal Democrat MEPs against website-blocking and the secrecy of the international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations, condemned by the European Data Protection Supervisor for endangering internet users’ fundamental rights.

Conference believes that this amendment to the Digital Economy Bill

a)would alter UK copyright law in a way which would permit courts to order the blocking of websites following legal action by rights-holders

b)would be open to widespread anti-competitive and civil liberties abuses, as the experience with the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act illustrates

c)could have a chilling effect on the internet, freedom of expression, competition and innovation as Internet Service Providers take down and/or block websites to avoid facing the costs of legal action

d)may be illegal under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and other EU law

Conference condemns

a)website-blocking and disconnecting internet connections as a response to copyright infringement

b)the threat to the freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals and businesses from the monitoring of their internet activity, the potential blocking of their websites and the potential termination of their internet connections, which could lead to the closure of internet hotspots and open wifi operated by small businesses, local councils, universities, libraries and others

c)the Digital Economy Bill for focusing on illegal filesharing rather than on nurturing creativity and innovative business models

Conference supports

a)the principle of net neutrality, through which all content, sites and platforms are treated equally by user access networks participating in the Internet

b)the rights of creators and performers to be rewarded for their work in a way that is fair, proportionate and appropriate to the medium

Conference therefore opposes excessive regulatory attempts to monitor, control and limit internet access or internet publication, whether at local, national, European or global level.

Conference calls on the Federal Policy Committee to commission a new policy working group to draw up a full policy paper on Information Technology and related aspects of intellectual property which should, in particular, consider:

1.Reform of copyright legislation to allow fair use and to release from copyright protection works which are no longer available legally or whose authors cannot be identified (orphan works).

2.The ‘common carrier’ concept, under which internet service providers would not be liable for material that they may carry unknowingly on their networks.

3.The creation of a level playing field between the traditional, copyright-based business model and alternative business models which may rely on personal copying and legal filesharing.

Whittington A&E – Story 9

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Martin’s story:

Several years ago we found my Mother, then in her mid-eighties, collapsed in the bath and covered in blood: somehow she had burst a varicose vein in her leg and was bleeding badly. It was breakfast time on Christmas Day. An ambulance was with us within a very few minutes, and I went with her to a sepulchral A&E. Despite the very skeletal staffing, she was immediately assessed and her wound dressed, she was put on a drip, reassured and comforted. Even though it was Christmas Day a consultant examined her, chatted with her, swapped tales of varicose veins, urged her to have them operated on, and made an arrangement for her to attend the appropriate clinic early in the New Year. Anxious grandsons were able to pop into the hospital to keep tabs on their Granny’s progress. Within four hours she had revived enough for us to get her home in time for a postponed Christmas lunch before dozing the rest of the day away.

The professional efficiency of the A&E staff, and their kindness to a frail old lady, impressed us all very considerably. The fact that the Whittington is pretty near was most reassuring, since it meant that she was taken to A&E very quickly, that the family were able to keep a close eye on her progress, and that it was easy to get her back home. Having A&E facilities much further away, around the much-clogged North Circular or the far side of Hampstead Heath, would have made an event like my Mother’s accident much more difficult to handle – and the additional journey time would certainly have caused an even greater loss of blood (and thus made her condition harder and more expensive to treat).

Whittington A&E – Story 8

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Naomi’s story:

Many, many times have I been grateful for the quick and safe reactions of the staff of the Whittington A&E.

Just one story?

I run a group for mothers and babies nearby. One afternoon, a toddler knocked over a mug of very hot tea. His mother tried to comfort him, but he was obviously in pain. I suggested she hurry to the Whittington A&E, and said I’d come and meet her there after the meeting. When I got there, she was in a separate room with her son. A doctor arrived and dealt with the burn with an excellent cream and bandage. The toddler relaxed immediately she started to treat him. Small though he was, he could tell he was in good hands. The doctor explained exactly how the mother should dress the wound at home. She was efficient but human too. The mother is now applying to do voluntary work at the Whittington, and I have just been asked to give a reference for her.

Whittington A&E – Story 7

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Gillian’s story:

In 2005 I became unwell and developed a high temperature. I wasn’t well enough to go to the doctor and was prescribed antibiotics on a home visit from our local doctor on a Friday. Unfortunately I was extremely allergic to the drugs and was told on Saturday by Camidoc (phone call) to stop taking them if they were making me vomit. On Sunday I felt considerably worse and a Camidoc doctor visited and immediately called an ambulance. One of the side effects of my illness was that I remained rational and quite convincing that I was not as sick as I was. The ambulance arrived at A&E and they – without absolute proof but based on symptoms – began treating me for bacterial meningitis and pneumonia. Had they given me a lumbar puncture which is one way to prove the diagnosis, I would probably have died.

The pressure in my spinal column was dangerously high. Their swift action undoubtedly saved my life. I was in hospital for 2 months and all the specialists thought I was a walking miracle when I left. The credit was given by all the medical team to that first Doctor in A&E who saw me within 10 minutes of my arrival.

I would also write to say how critical the A&E has been to my elderly neighbour. Sheila W lived in Priory Gardens for over 50 years. Her husband was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, her son was epileptic and she herself had severe arthritis. During their lifetime, the Whittington were on hand for every emergency – and there were many. In recent years Sheila fell down a flight of stairs and broke her arm in three places. She phoned me for help and on arrival at A&E the staff were outstanding. She was fragile, old and very afraid. Her fear of painkillers was great because her stomach had been made vulnerable from other medications. They set up an intravenous drip of paracetamol for her which was wonderful – the salient point is that they did not need to resort to morphine or other high dependency drugs. The pain clinic work at the Whittington is outstanding and their policies are used in the A&E to enormous benefit.

Whittington A&E – Story 6

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Mary’s story:

In October 2009, I became very ill at home because I was hemorrhaging from ulcers in my stomach and round the base of my windpipe. I did not know I had ulcers because I was in no pain: I simply felt extremely weak. My excellent GP, Dr Friedman came to see me at home and immediately sent me to Whittington A&E. The doctors there saw me at once and, after some preliminary investigations, transferred me to a diagnostic unit .It was found that my blood count was only 6.5 when it should have been 12. I was put in a ward very quickly and given 3 units of blood. Thanks to the excellent and very prompt treatment I received, I have made a full recovery.

Without the skilled treatment I received at Whittington’s A&E I could easily have died as the hemorrhaging did not stop until some time after I was admitted to hospital. I am extremely grateful for the skilled treatment I received and think it essential that Whittington A&E remains open.

Whittington A&E – the first chink in their armour?

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In the opposition day debate yesterday on London Hospitals – the Minister Mike O’Brien said this:

‘I do not see any justification for closure of the A and E at this time, and I would want to hear the case for closing it during the next Parliament. I have seen no such case.’

Well neither have we! There is no case. There is no clinically led case. There is no evidence. However – not sure that stops the juggernaut of this travesty of a process.

Lynne Featherstone: I welcome the Minister’s remarks because, as he knows, the socio-demographic circumstances around Whittington hospital make the area one of the most deprived in London. My concern is that, of the seven current options, four suggest closing the accident and emergency department. That seems to be a huge waste of resource and energy when the money is needed in front-line services. Will he talk to north central London officials now and stop the process?

 

UpRise: United Against Racism

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There is a group trying to continue the event that Boris discontinued – to make UpRise: London United Against Racism happen. They are nearing a crucial stage of planning but their ambitions are currently being held back by funding – a factor they always knew would be our greatest challenge.

They are waiting on the responses of funding bodies and seeking commercial sponsorship too, we are pushing to get those who have supported our campaign, understand what Rise stood for and have enjoyed Rise in the past to get involved.

They have launched a fundraising drive in the style of Blue Peter! They’re calling for donations from past Rise attendees and supporters – if all 100,000 who attended Rise in 2008 pledged just £1 we’d be on target to fund our festival. Donations can be made though their website; http://www.uprise.org.uk and they are working on a “fund-o-meter” to indicate how much funding they have gained.

They asked me to publicise this – so here I am doing so.

John Kampfner explains why he is supporting the Liberal Democrats

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This is what John Campfner says of his reasons for supporting the Liberal Democrats.

Today I launched my pamphlet, Lost labours, with Nick Clegg.

As somebody who has a long involvement with the Labour party, including editing the New Statesman magazine, I have been able to give a frank and honest appraisal of a decade and a half of New Labour. And in it I explain why I can no longer support them, and am instead turning to the Liberal Democrats. You can read a more condensed version in an article I wrote for the Guardian here.

Alongside one million other voters, I deserted Labour in 2005 in protest at Iraq in favour of the Liberal Democrats, the only party to oppose the war. My decision to back the Lib Dems in 2010 is based in a more fundamental appraisal of Labour’s record together with a positive assessment of the Liberal Democrats’ platform.

New Labour in office has had one all-consuming purpose: re-election. Since 1997, their every working day was based around the task of prolonging their term of office. It filled in the ideological hollow and justified ever-encroaching authoritarianism and a pandering to the right on criminal justice and other areas of social policy. In contrast, the Liberal Democrat analysis of the failures of the deregulated market has been consistently, and painfully, accurate. Nick Clegg’s tax reform plans, taking four million low paid workers out of tax altogether, are the most redistributive of any party. And the Liberal Democrat approach to criminal justice, human rights, foreign and social policy is close to mine.

People can only for so long be exhorted to hold their nose, to vote for a party they feel has let them down, simply because the alternative is worse. It is deeply damaging to politics to resort perpetually to the double negative. The Liberal Democrats offer a positive, radical and different vision. That is why they have my support.

Best wishes,

John Kampfner

Whittington A&E – Story 5

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Alicia’s story:

PERSONAL THANKS TO THE WHITTINGTON A AND E DEPARTMENT:
My elder son developed acute appendicitis and we had to rush him in a minicab to the Whittington. He was in agony and every second counted.

We were terrified that his appendix would burst but the A and E were wonderful and, I think, probaby saved his life. When he was badly beaten up on the Archway Road and his face was “like a football” because of the kicking he had endured, they were enormously supportive and restored him. My family are so grateful to the dedication and professionalism of the Whittington.