Whittington A&E

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Here’s my latest column for the Muswell Hill Flyer and the Highgate Handbook:

I sent out an email to my special email list to ask for people’s personal stories of when the Whittington Accident & Emergency had been important in their lives – and got a phenomenal response. (If you want to be on this list just email lynne@lynnefeatherstone.org and say so).

I will be presenting these to all the members of all the boards of all the layers of NHS decision makers who are working out our future health services (and there are many of them) and to the government in due course – to try and remind them that this about people’s lives – and that we are not just pawns on some management chessboard.

The clue is in the title of the service – ‘emergency’ – and some of the stories tell how the ambulance man or woman has said we must go to the nearest hospital because x won’t make it if we don’t – every second counts.

Now every resident of Muswell Hill and Highgate who has contacted me about this is quite clear about the importance of having a full 24/7 A&E locally. Distance matters both for saving lives but also for ease of access. And quite frankly the Whittington is far better placed for public transport than the Royal Free for us.

The decision makers are arguing that distance isn’t always important and that extra GP hours, NHS Direct and pharmacies can be a viable alternative. But no amount of extra GP hours or even an urgent care centre (which is one of their alternative suggestions) can replace a full A&E service. This is insanity being wrapped up and sold to us under the guise of ‘better clinical outcomes’. Yes – there are people who use A&E who don’t need to – but taking away A&E isn’t the answer – adding a GP walk-in where those people could be diverted to – could be.

If our A&E goes – as sure as night follows day – we will also lose obstetrics and the Intensive Care Unit. There will be no emergency take from GPs and it will compromise the teaching of medical students at the Whittington.

As for the funding, I put it directly to the Minister, Mike O’Brien, in an Adjournment Debate on the Whittington, that there is a fear that this is about cuts and budgets. The Minister assured me, on the record, that there would be no ‘slash and burn’ solutions and that all of this was about better clinical outcomes.

Well – for all those stories where people would have died if there had not been an A&E at the Whittington – seems to me being alive is a pretty good clinical outcome.

Sky News – Most fanciable MP!

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Over my first term in Parliament I’ve been nominated for many awards: Woman Politician of the year, Chanel 4 Rising Star, Stonewall’s Politician of the Year, numerous blog and website awards – and in all cases have failed to top the poll! Always the bridesmaid – never the bride.

Until now! And which accolade finally comes my way – Sky’s most fanciable MP!

Thank you Sky – you’ve made an old woman very happy!

Young writing talent on special visit to Parliament after winning MP's competition

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Lynne Featherstone and Roela MehmetiAfter winning Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone’s writing competition in the autumn, Roela Mehmeti, 11, this week went to collect her prize as she shadowed the Hornsey and Wood Green MP in Parliament.

The Alexandra Park School student won the Democracy Week competition on the theme ‘If I ruled the world’ after fierce competition from secondary school pupils across the constituency (see her entry here). For her special prize, Lynne Featherstone MP gave the 11 year old an exclusive tour of Parliament and took her for lunch in one of Parliament’s restaurants, whilst explaining what being an MP is really like.

Lynne Featherstone MP, comments:

“It was great to finally meet Roela, after reading her moving piece on the importance of the family. Her entry really pulled at the heartstrings, and it’s clear that she’s amazingly talented.

“I hope this has given her a good understanding of what being an MP is really like – and maybe it’s grown a little seed for her to one day try it for herself!”

Roela Mehmeti, 11, from Alexandra Park School, adds:

“I was really surprised and happy when my form teacher told me that I had won the competition. And I have had a really nice day in Parliament today. It’s been very special.”

Update – Alexandra Park School has also got a story about this on the front of its website at the moment.

Concern at rising class size numbers in Haringey

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Local Liberal Democrats have voiced their concern at new figures, revealing that Haringey, despite Labour promises, is one of only nine areas in the country where there are more pupils per class than 30 years ago.

The Times Educational Supplement figures show that average Pupil Teacher Ratios (PTRs) across England improved from 23.1 pupils per teacher in 1979 to 21.4 in 2009. However, Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Haringey had the same or worse PTRs now compared to 1979.

Liberal Democrats have said that larger class sizes are another indication of Haringey’s unfair school funding system, that sees local children receiving over £1,000 less than children from neighbouring boroughs.

Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, has spearheaded a campaign for fair funding for Haringey children, which has received widespread support.

Gail Engert, Liberal Democrat Children and Young People spokesperson, comments:

“Every child deserves a fair start in life. Having fewer children in a class is vital, so that each child can have more attention from the teacher, but also so the teacher can pick up any problems, early on.

“I am very concerned that, whilst most other areas have improved their pupil to teacher ratio, Haringey has failed to do this.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Cutting class sizes is a fundamental change that would make Haringey’s schools better, but because of Labour’s failure to address the school funding crisis, we now have some of the country’s biggest class sizes and see the knock-on effect that this has on our children’s education.

“Liberal Democrats, through our Pupil Premium, are committed to cutting primary class sizes to 20, to give every child the opportunity they deserve.”

Binyam Mohamed

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I read the news of our complicity in torture and cover-up – not believing what I was reading. How can we have come to this terrible place? I am so ashamed of our Goverment.

And because we know that this is a Government that misleads us when it suits them – how can we have any confidence in the Foreign Office’s denial of involvement in rendition and torture of terror suspects?

As Ed Davey (LibDem Shadow Foreign Secretary) said:

“With allegations of complicity in torture coming on top of the Iraq Inquiry’s revelations, it is painfully clear that Labour has left Britain’s reputation in tatters.

“If the Government is so sure it has nothing to hide, it should allow a judicial inquiry into torture allegations to go ahead.”

Lynne Featherstone and Robert Gorrie join cookery class for Salt Awareness Week

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Robert Gorrie and Lynne Featherstone cooking as part of Salt Awareness WeekTo help mark Salt Awareness Week (1-7 February), Lynne Featherstone MP and Liberal Democrat Councillor Robert Gorrie joined local residents at a special cookery class at the Kurdish Community Centre in Hornsey last Friday.

The Cook and Eat cookery class is part of a 6 week programme, run by the local health service, to spread information about healthy eating. This week there was a special focus on the risks to residents’ health from eating too much salt. Reducing the amount of salt in the diet can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks.

Lynne Featherstone and Robert Gorrie both helped Kurdish and Somali residents cooking traditional dishes and chatted with nutritionists, dieticians and local residents about the dangers of too much salt in a diet.

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, comments:

“This is such a great environment for learning about healthy eating. We cooked some yummy Somali and Kurdish food, but also learnt the serious message that too much salt in your diet can be harmful.

“A lot of people might not know that high levels of salt can be dangerous in the long run. Helping to spread information in a friendly environment like this can do wonders for people’s long term well being. It’s really just about being salt aware. And the food can still taste amazing.”

Councillor Robert Gorrie, Leader of Haringey Liberal Democrats, adds:

“These cookery classes are really great. It’s a fantastic place to share recipes and learn to cook healthy and exotic dishes on a limited budget, not to mention eating fantastic food and meeting new people. It’s really been great.”

Whittington A&E threatened closure – Protest March – 12 noon 27 Feb

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Managed to get to the meeting of the Defend the Whittington Coalition last night. The key issues being decided were the route of the march, the speakers, the publicity, banners, placards and so on. Credit to the organisers – as it is a lot of work to get this together.

We all need to take part in this protest. Given that the ‘options’ for the future of A&E at the Whittington currently (in their draft form) contain four options out of seven that end 24/7 A&E – we need to demonstrate just how much anger there is amongst local people.

So – demonstrate we will. I will post final times and locations for the various stages of the march and rally as soon as I have them.

Local MP steps in to fill information gap on Freedom Pass renewal

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Freedom Pass - Lynne Featherstone with Mrs CairnsHaving found out that some older local residents are unaware that they need to renew their Freedom Pass by the end of March, Lynne Featherstone MP is now stepping in and sending out to local residents the necessary information.

The poor information campaign by Haringey Council, who are the local Freedom Pass providers, was brought to the Liberal Democrat MP’s attention by local resident Betty Cairns. Mrs Cairns had spent three hours trying to find out how to renew the pass after spotting a small ad in the local paper about the need for renewal.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP has now written to local residents to let them know how to renew their passes.

Residents who want to find out more about how to renew the pass can go to: http://www.haringey.gov.uk/older_persons_freedom_pass.

Residents who want to get an application form can either pick one up from their local post office, download it from http://www.haringey.gov.uk/older_persons_freedom_pass.pdf, or call Lynne Featherstone’s office for a copy on 020 8340 5459.

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, comments:

“It’s appalling that there’s been such a poor effort to let residents know that they need to renew their passes. For those who might not read the local paper regularly, or use the internet, there is very little information out there about the need for renewal, not least since they closed down so many sub-post offices.

“This risks leaving some of our least mobile residents stranded on 1st April – and that is not acceptable.

“Haringey Council should have written to all current Freedom Pass holders to let them know what steps they need to take to avoid being left without a pass. But as that hasn’t been done, I felt the need to step in.”