A Fantastic Start to the Radiotherapy Petition – Thank You!

In torrential rain on Saturday morning, hundreds of people queued and signed Wyre Forest Labour Party’s petition for a radiotherapy unit to be sited at Kidderminster Hospital. Thank you all. If we are successful, then our “people power” petition will ensure that Wyre Forest patients don’t have to travel to Wolverhampton or Cheltenham for vital cancer treatment services.

The siting of a new radiotherpay unit at Kidderminster Hospital will be an ideal complement to the cancer care & treatment facilitiers already in place. Dr. Richard Taylor MP and Health Concern, like the Tories have NOT supported the campaign for radiotherapy at Kidderminster.

Labour is deeply and eternally committed to the future of cancer treatment, care, and the rest of the NHS, both in Wyre Forest and nationally. I will continue the fight for as many services as possible at Kidderminster hospital.

(Sorry if you got wet in the queue!) 622 people signed the petition in Kidderminster Town Centre on Saturday.

Please sign the online Radiotherapy Petition

Congratulations Gordon

Congratulations to Gordon Brown on becoming Prime Minister! Gordon has overseen a successful economy for 10 years, and therefore ensured the rebuilding of our public services, including over £100 Billion this year for our National Health Service. In Wyre Forest, we have virtual full employment and millions more for our Hospital and Primary Care Trust.

Yesterday, Questin Davies MP left the Tory Party and joined Labour, accusing Cameron of “cynicism, superficiality, unreality and apparent lack of conviction”.

Tory Answers on Health Please

In a recent edition of the Shuttle Mark Garnier and Wyre Forest had much that was critical to say about the NHS, and claimed that the Tories would be the best party to run it. There were a few points missing in his claims that Wyre Forest NHS patients should be reminded of: the last Tory government created the disastrous GP Fund-Holding system and the internal market which led to 18% of NHS funding, by 1996, being spent on management and administration, and not on patients. Also, the last Tory government presided over record numbers of people on waiting lists for record periods of time.

The Department of Health figures show that in 2005/6 11,372 NHS treatments and consultations provided to patients by Kidderminster Hospital. In 2008, Labour will spend a record £105.6 billion on the NHS, this will almost treble the spending allocated by the last Tory Government.

Can Tory candidate Mark Garnier please address some questions (by posting a comment below for which NHS users in Wyre Forest will want clear answers:

Will the Tories restore full A&E services to Kidderminster Hosptial ?

How many extra acute beds will there be under the Tories at Kidderminster Hospital ?

How many additional NHS treatments and consultations will be provided by Kidderminster Hospital under a Tory Government?

How will George Osbourne’s proposed £21 billion tax cuts impact on Wyre Forest NHS services?

Will the Tories add to Labour’s recent investment of £26 million on the Treatment Centre at Kidderminster Hospital?

Will Mark Garnier please sign the petition to place the three counties Radiotherapy Unit at Kidderminster Hospital?

Mark Garnier and Wyre Forest Tories will not need to resort to expensive advertising to answer these questions.

Saturday 30th June – Kidderminster Labour Party Event

Wyre Forest Labour Party Event – Saturday 30th June , 11am under the Town Hall Clock, Kidderminster. I will be there with Labour Party activists celebrating Gordon Brown becoming Prime Minister by giving out leaflets to that effect and asking the public to sign up to my petition to get a Radiotherapy Unit for cancer patients placed at Kidderminster Hospital.

Trust Schools in Wyre Forest – Discuss!

 On 14^th June at King Charles 1^St High School, I attended a meeting of “ContinU”, the 14 -19 Consortium of the Wyre Forest, a partnership of secondary schools, Kidderminster College, the Connexions Service and Local Training Providers. It is also supported by Worcestershire Local Education Authority and the local Learning and Skills Council. The documents suggest the “ContinU offer” is all about supporting this new Partnership – Consortium financially, and offering expertise and resources as we strive to become a beacon nationally for good practice in educational collaboration. An information pack was apparently sent to all parents of students of Baxter College, Bewdley High, Haybridge High, King Charles 1^st High, Stourport High, and Wolverley High and packs were available at the meeting. I think the Heads of all those schools were also present. As a member of Wyre Forest Education Review Board, this was the first time that I had heard of “ContinU” and the move towards “Trust School” status. However, I said I was attending the meeting to listen and learn. Two parents, I think, were there, trade union reps, and one Chair of Governors (Baxter). I intend to monitor the debate and progress.

Petition for a Radiotherapy Unit to be based at Kidderminster Hospital

Nigel Knowles is running a campaign and a petition to have a Radiotherapy Unit placed at Kidderminster Hospital.

Nigel says “This Radiotherapy Unit could cost £2.5 million with the obvious on-going costs of operation. Cancer patients in Wyre Forest have to travel over 20 miles to New Cross Hospital Wolverhampton for their radiotherapy treatment. That is a very difficult journey for them to make many times for their treatment.

Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust is currently looking at the possibility of providing a Radiotherapy Unit in Worcestershire, within the Three Counties Cancer Network. Kidderminster Hospital would be a great place to have it! We have the wonderful Millbrook Suite currently providing chemotherapy  treatments  for cancer patients and the Radiotherapy Unit would be a great extra provision for patients.

I think with Worcester Royal and the Redditch Hospitals being so busy, Kidderminster Hospital would be the best place. There is a great tradition of community support for Kidderminster Hospital and I’m certain the Radiotherapy Unit would be greatly welcomed by the people of Wyre Forest who have endured a difficult period of time in the transition between the transfer of A&E Services and the opening of our brilliant £26 million Treatment Centre in 2004”.

You can sign the Petition online at http://www.gopetition.com/online/12762.html

Jaguar and Land Rover

Jaguar and Land Rover could be sold by Ford which apparently lost £6.3 billion on the brands in 2006. Private equity companies are potential buyers. I would urge Government to insist upon the security of jobs and conditions of service being maintained, whatever else happens. If state or European grant aid has been given to Ford UK, Jaguar or Land Rover, then Government and Ford must ensure that private equity companies are not allowed to asset strip after sales, break up the companies and move on. Our manufacturing industries and world leader brand names like Jaguar and Land Rover must be protected from sharks.

Have The Tories Got Anything to Say?

Have the Tories got anything to say on any policy issue? We guess they are panicking about the impending arrival of the Iron Chancellor as PM and seeing their opinion poll score melt away. Dishy David  is big on style but we’re getting bored of waiting around for some concrete policy statements: health, education, Europe (there’s a good one!) the economy and transport.  Speak to us, please!

Labour has clear polices that have worked, both locally and nationally. Our new priorities will be to keep Britain prosperous and give a helping hand to working familes and those who are suffering social disadvantage.

 

Only Labour Can Deliver On Education

While David Cameron, Mark Garnier and the rest of the Tories are scrapping and arguing amongst themselves over grammar schools, Nigel Knowles, Gordon Brown and the Labour Party are pleased to show their successful education policies and celebrate the great contribution of comprehensive education to our society.

In Wyre Forest, standards and achievements have risen dramatically under the Labour Government: In 1997 57% of Wyre Forest School children achieved their Key Stage 3 targets in literacy, by 2005, this increased to 75%. Also in 1997, 60% of Wyre Forest School children achieved their Key Stage 3 targets in Mathematics, this increased to 73% by 2005.

Our priority will be to continue raising standards and choice in education. We will especially focus on further developing educational and training opportunities for children and young people from poorer families. Already, Labour’s Education Maintenance Allowance has boosted the numbers of young people aged 16-19 staying in education to record levels. We have now record numbers of young people in university.

Gordon Brown and Education Minister Alan Johnson have committed to raise the age at which young people can leave education or training to 18.

As the Tories fall out over grammar schools, Labour is concentrating on giving our youngsters, and adults returning to learning, the education and skills a world class economy needs. Nigel Knowles stands fully behind comprehensive education and is proud of the increase in local education achievements.

WHERE DOES MARK GARNIER STAND THIS WEEK ON GRAMMAR SCHOOLS?