NB Two letters on Hospital consultation
1st June
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/latest-covid-19-infection-figures-5480491
p. 1, 4 and 5 “My teeth make me look like a drug addict – but I can’t find a dentist”
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/i-look-like-drug-addict-5468872
p. 7 “NHS staff jumped through hoops… Covid loss, infection probably-hospital-acquired
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/nhs-heroes-jumped-through-hoops-5469526
p. 12 NATIONAL “Jabs giving ‘false sense of security” – government advisers
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/experts-warn-jabs-giving-false-5475693
p. 15 a letter by Christopher Blanchard under “Cummings said little that we did not knows”
p. 15 “ “ “ Jane Ashcroft, Anchor Hanover, under “it’s time to break the taboo about dementia”
31st May
p. 6 “We’re close to a million doses milestone” – city, county and Rutland
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/nearly-1000000-covid-doses-given-5465672
p. 7 “Virtual GP appointments will continue alongside face to face meetings” – doctors quizzed
p. 12 NATIONAL “’Difficult decision’ on lockdown end”
p 15 three letters:
Martin Morgan-Taylor under “Calling out the second dose claims as untrue” – of bringing it forward for everyone
Jill Friedmann under “Will long waiting lists mean services rethink?” – on the General
Stan Cowley under “Did Dominic have a good point, for once?” – Covid victim numbers
29th May
p. 6 “Hundreds died after catching Covid-19 in hospital” – in Leicester
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/hundreds-died-after-catching-covid-5464755
p. 7 “Indian variant of the virus is now dominant in the city, say health officials”, subtitled “197 cases have been confirmed”
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/indian-strain-covid-19-now-5469105
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/highest-daily-increase-covid-cases-5470239
p. 12 NATIONAL “One-jab vaccine gets UK approval” – Johnson & Johnson
p. 23 “Semi-final resulted in no cases of Covid-19”
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/impact-leicesters-fa-cup-semi-5460536
p. 27 Susan Lee under “Say aaaaaghhhhh! – A MUST-READ ON NHS DENTISTRY
28th May
‘Passionate’ doctor who ‘significantly improved’ patient care awarded for diabetes research
27th May
p. 3 “MP believes Covid chaos ‘cock-up, not conspiracy’” – Andrew Bridgen
p. 12 NATIONAL “Johnson was ‘unfit for the job’ of PM” – Cummings
p. 13 WORLD “EU seeking huge fine in court case against AstraZeneca”S
all of p. 15, six letters, about lockdown policies and communication
plus letter on UHL Hospitals reconfiguration
It is astonishing that our local NHS leaders in the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have only just published the ‘Report of Findings’ following last year’s important consultation on the future of the acute hospitals in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (Building Better Hospitals For the Future).
This ‘Report of Findings’ is an analysis of public responses to the consultation. The CCGs have had the report since the end of March but, until Wednesday of this week, had declined to make it available to the public even when requested to do so.
The CCGs are now saying they wish to have what appears to be a decision-making meeting about what will happen to our hospitals as early as 8th June before there is any opportunity for wider public discussion of the findings from the consultation- and what these might mean.
The Report of Findings is 760 pages long! And it has been shared with the public less than two weeks before the decision making meeting. This does not give a chance, for local residents who are interested, to digest what the public said in the consultation so that they can then assess whether the final decision on the future of our hospitals seems a fair one.
As far as we know, no-one wants to turn down the prospect of much needed investment in our hospitals. However, there were contentious aspects of the proposals for change – which included not planning for bed numbers after 2024, selling off most of the Leicester General estate and closing two hospitals (the Leicester General as an acute hospital and St Mary’s birth centre in Melton Mowbray).
The CCGs have said the meeting of 8th June is subject to change and we call on them to postpone this meeting until there has been ample time for the public to digest the findings of the consultation. We urge them to delay the finalisation of the “Decision Making” document until after there has been adequate scrutiny, including by the relevant local authority committee.
By Tom Barker, on behalf of Save Our NHS Leicestershire
p. 19 “Volunteers sought to help develop new cures” – new research register of volunteers, for big range of conditions
26th May
pages 1, 2 and 3 ”Day of Chaos” and “Advice, not restrictions, city informed after day of chaos” – government Covid website muddle
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/government-confirms-ditched-stay-out-5457071
p. 4 “Plan to ‘turbo-charge’ vaccinations in city”, subtitled “Focus on 10 areas in response to Indian variant”
p. 9 “GPs say practice in ‘crisis and staff are demoralised”
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/leicestershire-gps-say-practice-crisis-5449299
p. 12 NATIONAL ”’A lockdown by stealth’ slammed” Jon Ashworth and others
p. 12 “ , brief “Threat from dentists” – to ‘reduce NHS commitment’
25th May
Pages 1, 4 and 5 are a personal story about brain tumour surgery, symptoms that should alert and fundraising
p. 6 “Test sites in city get converted to vaccination hubs” – five sites
p. 12 NATIONAL, brief “Mental health fears” – most trusts cannot meet demand for children’s services
p. 13 WORLD “India Covid-19 death toll now over 300,000
p. 23 “Views sought on plans for mental health services”, subtitled “Feedback to help improve county care”
24th May
People being told to wait three years for a dentist appointment
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/people-being-told-wait-three-5448457
22nd May
p. 3 “18 cases of Covid at school” – Rowlatt Mead Primary, incl. At least one of Indian variety
p. 12 NATIONAL, brief “Sewage Covid tests”
p. 15 a letter by Suresh Chauhan under ”What happened to NHS services report?”;reconfiguration of Leicester Hospitals
A Leicestershire and Rutland CCG was authorised by our NHS, at the back end of 2019, to embark on a £450m project to reorganise the NHS services provided here in Leicester. There had not been any public consultation on these plans and so, the particular CCG was forced to carry out such public consultations in 2020. At these consultation was being undertaken, the CCG said in a public statement that ‘The consultation would finish on 21stDecember 2020 and that before they moved forward with the configuration plans, all responses received from the consultation will be independently analysed and evaluated by Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit. Report of Findings will be shared with the other local Clinical Commissioning Groups. The report will be reviewed and discussed at a public meeting before a decision is made on the proposals by the Clincal-Commissoning Groups.
I am led to believe that the report from the Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit was received by the CCG in March this year and Mr Andy Williams, the head of this CCG has indicated that the report will not be made available till mid-June.
This delay in updating those like me who took part in the consultation process seems grossly unfair and unjustified. Also, the date and venue for the promised public meeting seems to have been forgotten.
p. 28 Letter Susan Lee about shoppers without masks and the importance of wearing them
21st May
Latest Leics Covid infections
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/54-new-covid-infections-across-5444683
p. 6 “City to take part in world-first vaccine booster dose trial”
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/call-leicester-people-take-part-5435614
p. 7 “Rapid jabs push in race against rise of variant”, subtitle “However, surge testing ‘not required’ says health boss”
p. 7 “No Covid deaths in city hospitals in three weeks”
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/last-hospital-covid-death-more-5434390
p. 15 a letter, no name, under “Mental health is not a celebrity bandwagon“ – links to poverty should be explored and addressed
p. 10 “Staffing, hygiene concerns at ‘inadequate’ care home” – Huntingdon Court, Loughborough; Leicestershire County Care Ltd.
20th May
p. 8/9 ”School Covid case is Indian variant” – same school as yesterday
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/18-covid-cases-now-confirmed-5438109
p. 9 “MP in surge vaccination plea” – Jon Ashworth,
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/jon-ashworth-says-surge-vaccination-5428704
Matt Hancock announces surge testing and vaccination to be offered in Leicester’ in major step up
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/matt-hancock-announces-surge-testing-5434014
p. 12 NATIONAL “’Race’ between virus and vaccine” -Matt Hancock
p. 12 “ , brief “’Help smokers quit’” – Royal College of Physicians asking for opt-out-system and financial incentives for pregnant women
19th May
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/more-30-covid-cases-confirmed-5434294
p. 7 “Warnings as surge in teen cases puts town in top 10 for infections” – Melton
p. 7 “45 pupils, six school staff are sent home” – in Braunstone Town
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/45-pupils-6-staff-sent-5425319
p. 10/11 about anti-vaccine movements in Leicester – e.g. smallpox
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicesters-once-hub-anti-vaccination-5410623
p. 12 NATIONAL, brief “Johnson nurse quits” – his Covid nurse, citing government’s low pay offer and lack of respect for profession
p. 12 NATIONAL “’No evidence’ to scrap road map” – because of Indian variant
p. 15 a letter by Peter O’Malley about his pituitary tumour and a helpline for patients
p. 15 a letter by Brenda Worrall under “Key health report still not in public domain”; reconfiguration of Leicester Hospitals
In the Summer of 2019 it was announced that a sum of £450 million had been awarded to improve the hospitals serving the population of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR).
This was excellent news as the NHS has been underfunded for many years. Plans for the project were drawn up and a public consultation was carried out in the Autumn of 2020. Due to Covid restrictions, public meetings and exhibitions to inform people of these plans were not possible. Online meetings were organised to explain the plans and allow people, who were able to access these meetings, to put questions to the Clinical Commissioning Groups.
(CCGs). A questionnaire was available both in paper form and online to enable the public to respond to the reconfiguration plans.
These responses were analysed and evaluated by the Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit and their report was delivered to the CCGs by the end of March.
It had been announced that this report would be made public in April. This has not happened and I understand that Andy Williams, who heads up the CCGs, has announced that it will not be available until June but did not give a reason why this is so. I think that the report should be in the public domain or we should be told why there has been a delay.
18th May
p. 2/3 all about the lifting of restrictions
p. 4 “Now is not time to be complacent, as Covid cases edge up – mayor” – with a lot of info
p. 12 NATIONAL “Get the Covid jab, urges Hancock
p. 15 a letter by Malcolm Hunter under “Self-isolation and sharing vaccine needed”
17th May
p. 12 NATIONAL “Call for caution as restrictions ease”
p. 12 “ , brief “Dementia warning” – Alzheimer’s Society: increased hospital admissions over several years because of lack of proper care
p. 16 ”Mum shares her frustration in bid to access care services for son” can’t get mental health support for 12-year-old
p. 18 “Professor given £2.2m to fund major diabetes research project”, subtitled “Links between foot ulcers and heart disease studied”
p. 24 “Help support dementia study” – various agencies are urging volunteers to come forward
Campaign Against NHS Privatization 