November 27th
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/two-cases-omicron-variant-found-6270731
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/boris-johnson-gives-update-christmas-6271495
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/face-coverings-become-compulsory-next-6271606
p. 8 “Infection rates among worst in the country” – Hinckley
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/leicester-mercury/20211127/281612423672197
p. 12 “’Possible’ Covid variant is in UK already – expert” – i.e. ‘it is possible’
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/most-worrying-covid-variant-could-6264287
p. 26 “Alzheimer’s study may lead to vaccine and also treatment” – UL and University of Goettingen
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/new-alzheimers-study-could-lead-6209121
November26th
Increasing vitamin D intake lowers risk of developing dementia, study finds
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/increasing-vitamin-d-intake-lowers-6260937
p. 1 & 7 “Pupils told to cover up again in school” and “Rise in cases…”
p. 10 ”Doctor robot set to revolutionise NHS efficiency” – electronic consultations with specialists
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/new-robot-means-patients-can-6248735
p. 13 World “Pfizer to jab millions of Euro 5-11 year olds”
November 25th
p. 5 a twice affected family raising awareness of glioblastoma
p. 16 “New medical centre gets the go-ahead as village expands” – Barwell
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/leicester-mercury/20211125/281809992163526
November 24th
p. 8 “Mysterious night-time hum seems louder now”, subtitled “Persistent sound linked to mental health issues” – North Leicestershire
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/mysterious-night-time-hum-causing-6238391
p. 12 NATIONAL “Staff shortages ‘causing neglect in care homes’”
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/residents-care-homes-dying-alone-6251232
p. 12 brief “Freddie’s HIV praise” – for raising AIDS awareness
p. 12 “Surgeon’s court loss” – unnecessary breast operations
Nov 23rd
“PM’s ‘generous’ plan” – social care funding –
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/pm-sees-rebellion-win-approval-6245519
“Exercise new help” – therapy choice for mild depression
November 22nd
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/masks-needed-again-uk-control-6240698
p. 2 ”’People seem to have given up at the wrong time – they must take Covid seriously again’” –
Mike Sandys
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/new-mask-plea-worrying-trend-6226525
p. 2 ”Get jabbed so we can have safer Christmas”
p. 7 ”’It feels strange to be doing it,…’” – family fundraising for 11-year-old’s immunotherapy not available on NHS
p. 9 “MP’s tears…” TV interview with John Ashworth on his father’s alcoholism
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/jon-ashworth-mp-cries-during-6238229
p.15 Letter –
p.27 “Appeal to give all on wards present” – LPNHST’s charity Raising Health
November 21st
‘Thousands’ dying due to hospital A&E crowding, says report
Royal College of Emergency Medicine calls for action
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/thousands-dying-due-hospital-ae-6238231
Nov 20th
. 22 “New clinic to target obesity in children” – shared with Nottingham’s Children’s Hospital, at LRI
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicester-royal-infirmary-open-clinic-6213518
p. 15 a letter by Bob Ball and Aasiya Bora under “Council should stick with clean air zone plan”
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/leicester-mercury/20211120/281848646859754
Council should stick with clean air zone
Leicester Green Party calls on Leicester City Council to stick to its plan for a clean air zone in the centre of the city
Air pollution may be down in 2020, and not exceeding the EU’s air quality standards, but:
- the EU’s targets are out-of-date – the EU plans to align its air quality standards more closely with the stricter world health organisation (who) standards
- The 2020 air pollution levels were a one-off – there was a big reduction in road traffic in 2020 brought about by leicester’s lockdown and instructions to work from home.
The Conservative Government has been glacially slow in moving to legislate on air pollution since the United Kingdom left the European Union and is under pressure to create strict legislation on clean air to reduce the UK’s level of air pollution.
The EU plans to set a new target of cutting premature deaths from air pollution by 2030 with air quality standards more aligned with World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality standards.
The WHO has outlined major changes to its previous air pollution recommendations for NO2, PM10 and PM2.5 (published in 2005) to reflect current scientific evidence on the threat air pollution poses to human health.
On all measures UK legal limits, including Leicester’s are currently up to four times higher than WHO recommendations.
MPs have rejected tougher air pollution limits which would have brought the UK in line with WHO guidance by 2030.
Instead, a public consultation will take place on particulate matter air pollution, with an aim to introduce new legislation by October 2022 to tackle the problem which is estimated to kill at least 30,000 people a year in Britain.
More ambitious targets will require the government to speed up progress on clean air – with road transport an immediate priority.
A Clean Air Zone that charge the most polluting vehicles to enter the most polluted parts of Leicester’s city centre – much like the Birmingham Clean Air Zone – with help and support for people and businesses to move on to cleaner forms of transport would be a good place to start.
In fact, a recent YouGov survey results showed that over two thirds of people in the UK are in support of such schemes.
Without ambitious legally binding targets and clear duties to back them up, ministers and local authorities will continue to drag their feet on a serious public health issue.
Setting ambitious air pollution targets to meet WHO air pollution standards by 2030 would help drive action to meet the government’s commitment to net-zero carbon by 2050.
Nov 19th
p. 25 “Cathedral bells launch cancer care fund appeal” – Leicester Hospitals’ Charity Chemotherapy Suite Christmas appeal
p. 25 “Mental health organisation aided” – Lamp, by Winter Gardens fundraising campaign
p. 28 “Weight loss help offer to men” – LCC and Active Leicestershire
a long letter about sleaze etc. By Suresh Chauhan under “Even ex-PM is fed up of Boris and his regime”SEE ATTACHED PDF
Telltale diabetes signs of high blood sugar when going to the toilet
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/telltale-diabetes-signs-high-blood-6232550
Nov 18th
Councillor Leah Toseland, Oakham, under ”Comprehensive health plan will be top priority” – well set-out objectives
M Moore under “Thank you to all the team at GP surgery” Parks Medical Centre, New Parks
Nov 17th
p. 9 “’Get vaccinated, even if you are pregnant’” – Chris Whitty
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/pregnant-women-urged-vaccinated-98-6210174
Health leaders warn of deadly winter pressures on NHS
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/health-leaders-warn-deadly-winter-6223035
p. 11 “Over-40s can get booster jab”
p. 11 “Thousands wait over an hour at A&E”, subtitled “21% arriving at infirmary treated within target time”
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/thousands-wait-more-hour-after-6193057
p. 15 a long, well argued letter by Mags Lewis under “Greens dismayed to see city clean air zone axed”
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/leicester-mercury/20211117/281784222343693
Testicular cancer;telltale signs men should look out for.
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/telltale-signs-men-should-look-6218941
Nov 16th
p. 13 WORLD “Austria in lockdown for the unvaccinated”
p. 15 a letter by Anwar Husain under “When will Randox send our Covid test results?” posing questions as to how firms get their contracts
Nov 15th
p. 12 NATIONAL “’Our health system is unsustainable’” – nursing leaders
p. 12 brief “Cash for MND cure” – £375m for research into a range of conditions, incl. MND and Alzheimer’s; won’t go far
p. 15 a letter by Brenda Worrall under “Stand up and demand proper funding for care”
Robert Ball and Tom Barker both point out in your letters page that our present Government seems to care little about the lack of patient care not only in Leicester but throughout the whole country. Have they forgotten that during the 2019 election campaign they repeated the promise originally made by Margaret Thatcher ‘ The NHS is safe with us’?
This is a Government, who during the lockdown due to the pandemic, increased the defence budget but could not find enough money to offer NHS staff a decent pay rise.
After years of underfunding, £450M was promised to UHL to reorganise the hospital services for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. A plan ‘Building better hospitals for the Future’ was produced after a public consultation. The cost of this proposal will be rising daily and now the Government is saying that they will not even honour the original promise.
The hospitals in Leicester did not have sufficient bed capacity to cope in the winter before the pandemic so it is shocking, but not surprising, that patients in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland now have to wait longer than everywhere else in England for the most common hospital procedures.
So, I am asking the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, together with all our elected representatives, to stand up for the NHS and our health workers and demand a publicly funded, publicly provided and accountable health and social care service. To quote Shelley ‘ We are many, they are few’.
Nov 12th
Telltale signs of diabetes on arms and legs
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/your-feet-arms-legs-show-6189766
November 13
Disgraced former England health secretary Matt Hancock offered £100k pandemic book deal
Covid pandemic could last another five years according to latest government models
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/covid-pandemic-could-last-another-6203215
‘Professor Lockdown’ keen Covid vaccine boosters are given to under-50s soon
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/professor-lockdown-keen-covid-vaccine-6203255
p15 a Boris-defensive letter by Ray Newcombe under “PM has difficult path to tread over Covid-
p. 16 “No care homes are to close – despite some staff still unvaccinated” – city and county
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/care-home-staff-still-not-6187606
Nov 12
Pages 8/9 “Plea over parents’ massive bills for medical cannabis”, incl. “NHS knows it’s safe and effective”
p. 10 “Care homes way behind with booster vaccinations”, subtitled “MP calls for ‘turbocharged programme” – Liz Kendall
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/only-quarter-leicester-care-home-6178172
p. 11 “Village GP proposing bigger medical centre”, subtitled “Existing site ‘outdated and not able to meet demand”
Nov 11
p. 3 “Nursing honour ‘perfect end to a perfect career’” – Avril Archibald, LPNHST Diana Trust
Nov 10
p. 12 NATIONAL ”Frontline NHS staff must be vaccinated”
p. 19 “I battled back from anorexia” – a book
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/health/woman-anorexia-who-battled-back-6147924
Nov 9th
Pages 1 and 4 “’Frankenstein’ Dad’s arm saved…” and “Sewing hand to abdomen…” – a case highlighting the role of plastic surgery and hospital team work
p. 6 “Four-hour wait for wife brings home pressures on 999 services”
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/couples-four-hour-ambulance-ordeal-6144418
p. 11 “New support launched for people with diabetes” – Leicester Diabetes Centre
p. 15 two letters on difficulties getting booster jabs:
Dr David Westwood under “Two hours wasted in bid to get our booster jab” – difficulties at Abbey Park walk-in centre on 6th Nov.
Mary of Syston under ”We need more centres and times for boosters”
November 8th
p. 11 “Head’s face mask plea to parents as cases of Covid rise in school”
.Headteacher hits out at lack of parent support with pupil facemasks after 80-case coronavirus outbreak in school
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/headteacher-hits-out-lack-parent-6120777
p. 13 WORLD “Court blocks Biden’s Covid vaccine plan”
p. 15 a letter by Karen Preston under “Getting our vital jabs easier said than done” – three failed attempts of booking flu jab
Campaign Against NHS Privatization 