Abortions in Lincolnshire Have Risen in Past Six Years

There has been a eighteen per cent hike in the number of abortions carried out in Lincolnshire within six years the Lincolsnhire Echo reports today.

The figures for show that there were 1,645 terminations paid for by NHS Lincolnshire in 2008 compared to 1,392 in 2002. And for the past three years where statistics are available, there has been a steady rise with 1,459 county abortions in 2006, 1,593 in 2007 and 16,45 in 2008.

Lincolnshire bucks the trend with the number of abortions nationally falling by 1.6 per cent from 2007 to 2008.

The paper report that Dr. David Baker, a local general practitioner and Lincolnshire representative for the British Medical Association, said it is difficult to interpret the Lincolnshire statistics but he feels that the stigma surrounding terminating a pregnancy is reducing.

"I don't know whether more people are using abortion as a contraceptive technique which is obviously not advisable or maybe terminations are more readily available."

"One has to be careful not to seem to be preaching but it is not a risk free procedure and prevention beforehand is much better than the emotional trauma afterwards."

New Swine Flu Advice

From tomorrow (Thursday, 11th February 2010) people who think they have Swine Flu are being urged to contact their doctor by phone.

The advice follows the continuing reduction in the number of swine flu cases in the United Kingdom and around the world which means the National Pandemic Flu Service will also stand down on Thursday and the 24-hour hotline and website will close.

After the telephone contact doctors will issue a voucher for anti virals (tamiflu) to be collected by the patient's flu friend - someone who does not have the virus.

West Lindsey's Public Protection Services Manager, Mr. Chris Allen said:

"We are fortunate that swine flu has not affected as many people as the health experts first thought and we have in place business continuity plans to ensure we can maintain essential services to the community throughout any future epidemic.

"I would like to thank all residents who acted as flu friends for family, friends and neighbours showing the strength of our community in West Lindsey."

The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, described the current levels of pandemic flu as 'very low' and the second wave of swine flu that began in Autumn was 'virtually over.'

Swine flu has claimed four hdrd and eleven lives in the United Kingdom and more than fifteen thousand around the world - much lower numbers of cases than was original feared. Some one hundred and twenty-four people remain in hospital in the United Kingdon and twenty-four of them are described as critical. However, the five thousand reported cases a week in the United Kingdom is well below the seasonal average for flu-like symptoms.

Health bosses have advised that residents in the following at-risk groups should still be immunised:

• Children over six months but under five years
• Pregnant women
• People who live with immuno-compromised individuals.

GE2010: Conservatives First 'Long Campaign' Poster Spoted in Lincoln

Related content: 'GE2010: William Hague Launch Campaign Poster in Leeds' and 'Conservative Launch Agenda for the NHS'.

The Conservative Party's poster, seen by many as kicking off the party's General Election campaign has been spotted in Lincoln on Broadgate near the Duke of Wellington public house.

Above: The poster from a distance sits proudly next to the Duke of Wellington (left)

Below: David Cameron's personal message:

"We can't go on like this. I'll cut the deficit, not the NHS."

GE2010: Conservatives Launch Agenda for NHS

David Cameron has given a speech today to launch the Conservative Party's health manifesto.
Over three years ago Cameron spelled out his priorities in three letters – NHS. Since then, conservatives have consistently fought to protect the values the NHS stands for and have campaigned to defend the NHS from Labour’s cuts and reorganisations.

As the party of the NHS, conservatives say they will never change the idea at the heart of the NHS – that healthcare in this country is free at the point of use and available to everyone based on need, not ability to pay. Labour promised to save the NHS but today, despite the massive increase in spending, the gap in health outcomes between the UK and the rest of Europe has actually widened.

A decade of top-down, bureaucratic mismanagement has consistently undermined the professionalism and motivation of NHS staff and skewed NHS priorities away from patient care, creating a culture where ticking boxes is more important than giving patients the treatment they need. We can’t go on with an NHS that puts targets before patients.

The Conservatives say that they understand the pressures the NHS faces. In recognition of its special place in our society, they are committed to protecting health spending in real terms – they will not make the sick pay for Labour’s Debt Crisis. But that doesn’t mean the NHS shouldn’t change. When you are more likely to die of cancer in Britain than most other countries in Europe – and when the number of managers in the NHS is rising almost three times as fast as the number of nurses –

The Conservatives Party have a reform plan to make the changes the NHS needs. The reform plan, is detailed in a Draft Manifesto published today, is based on the methods of the post-bureaucratic age – decentralisation, accountability and transparency.

Click here to read the Draft Manifesto

Welton Surgery to Expand

The village surgery in Welton is set to grow. Work on extension plans is underway and the whole job is expected to be complete by March next year.

The project is proof that West Lindsey’s planning applications procedure really does work as pre-application discussions allowed the project to be approved speedily.

Planning Officer, Mr. Eric Marcroft said:

"It was a good lesson learnt, and came out of a team effort, with the agent, architect and planning staff all working well together. It shows that the pre-application discussions can save a lot of time and distress."

After discussions at an early stage, an acceptable and agreed way forward meant the plan could sail ahead. It was a straight forward application, where the Parish Council was supportive and there were no objections.

A contract has been issued to Horsman Construction and agent Peter Banks said:

"Set-up and some ground works got underway before Christmas so we should be reasonably comfortable to complete this project before March 31 2010. This will be for the benefit, I am sure, of all residents."

West Lindsey District Council has refocused the way it works within the Planning Department, placing the emphasis on help and advice to customers throughout the process.

Microbiolgy Services 'Blighted' by Move to Scunthorpe

This Lincolnshire Echo reported yesterday that mislaid samples and delays have blighted the work of hospital staff after microbiology services were moved out of Lincoln, according to former consultant, Dr. Christopher Brightman who has told the paper that it took him

"considerably longer"

to get hold of certain results following the closure of the on-site microbiology laboratory at Lincoln County Hospital.

The service was transferred to Scunthorpe General Hospital by operator Path Links in April, with samples from patients in Lincoln now required to travel more than 27 miles for testing.

Dr. Brightman said he took early retirement from his microbiologist consultant role at Lincoln County Hospital in October, when he felt he could no longer deliver the same 'high standard' of service to his colleagues. Earlier in the month health officials labelled the transfer a success and said turnaround times for samples had become quicker since the move.

However, a source who serves on the Health Scrutiny Committee has reported that at the meeting of the committee the Acting Chief Executive, Mr. Bernard Chalk, was not not expecting to provide a detailed report on the impact of the move, blagged his way through when pressed by Chairman Cllr. Mrs. Christine Talbot, Conservative (Bracebridge Heath and Waddington Division), in spite of the expectations of the committee to the contrary.

Mr. Chalk also told the last Lincolnshire Health Scrutiny Committee the quality of service had improved. However, Dr Brightman, who currently works as a locum general practitioner, said he took exception to that remark.

"I always found my work satisfying and enjoyable.

"We had a happy department and I believe that my colleague, our staff and I provided an excellent service, so I take great exception to the remark that the 'quality of the service has improved', since in my personal opinion that is not the case.

"My plan was to continue to work until I reached retirement age. However, I decided to retire at the end of this October since I did not believe that I could continue to provide a high standard of service to clinical colleagues without a laboratory on site.

"It took considerably longer to obtain results, I could no longer discuss technical problems with my staff, which is important since many results have to be interpreted by experienced technical and medical staff before appropriate advice can be given to clinicians."

Cllr. Mrs. Talbot has reported to me that Mr. Chalk has been invited back to Health Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, 27th January 2010.

NHS Trust Hail Successful Laboratory Move

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust has hailed the move of microbiology services away from Lincoln as a success. According to Acting Chief Executive Bernard Chalk turnaround times for test results are faster and the quality of the service has improved.

The laboratory, which tests samples taken from patients for infections such as MRSA, moved from Lincoln County Hospital to Scunthorpe Hospital in April 2009 following some considerable objection with a ‘Save the Microbiology Laboratory’ Campaign spearheaded by Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Lincoln, Mr. Karl McCartney.

At a United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust board meeting this week the agenda revealed there had been no recorded complaints of samples going missing from Lincoln during the journey to Scunthorpe. Nevertheless councillors raised concerns at yesterday's Lincolnshire Health Scrutiny Committee that adequate systems to monitor performance were not in place.

Cllr. Meg Davidson, Conservative (Fiskerton Ward), questioned whether the full picture had been revealed.

"Clearly this is a work in progress.

"I see from the trust's report that it says since the first few weeks of the service transferring, there have been no recorded complaints regarding missing samples. There is no mention that there is still work to do to sort out the incident reporting system. Perhaps that does not give the complete picture to the board."

New Government figures expose crisis in NHS dentistry across Lincolnshire

Action needed to increase access to NHS dentists says Giles McNeill

New official figures published by the Government have revealed that a shocking number of people across Lincolnshire do not have access to an NHS dentist. In response, Giles McNeill today is calling for a series of reforms to ensure more patients can go to an NHS dentist, rather than force people to go private or miss out on treatment completely.

The latest NHS figures show that 49% of the population across Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust's area have not been seen by an NHS dentist in the last two years. [If relevant] Worse, 3,637 people have lost access to their NHS dentist in Lincolnshire since 2006.

Conservatives have announced a series of reforms to NHS dentistry which will improve NHS care. A comprehensive plan proposes:
• Creating new incentives for dentists to spend more time on preventative dental care, improving oral health and reducing long-term costs.
• Restoring access to an NHS dentist for the one million patients who have lost it under Labour’s failed system, by removing costly bureaucracy and cutting out waste.
• Using money currently spent on carrying out unnecessary treatments to reintroduce dental screening for children in schools.
• Ensuring that taxpayer-trained dentists work for the NHS for at least five years.

Giles said:

"The Labour Government is leaving a terrible dental legacy which will be difficult to fix. A million people have lost their NHS dentist in just three years, and 49% of the population across Lincolnshire are without an NHS dentist.

"Dentists are fed up with the flawed system that Labour have introduced. As a result, local residents to have to travel miles to see an NHS dentist, or else pay to go private to receive the treatment they need.

"Conservatives will help restore access to an NHS dentist, and spend more on preventative treatment to help avoid tooth decay. We need to tackle the worrying number of people needing to have their teeth pulled out."

SPRING FORUM: Off to the races

Well today sees the beginning of the Conservative Spring Forum for 2009 in Cheltenham, Gloustershire.

Michael Gove will later this afternoon be outlining Conservative plans to allow Primary Schools to attain 'Academy Status' and there will be discussion on the NHS.

I will be attending the National Convention and voting for a new Chairman and Vice Presidents for the Party.

I will also try and post some videoblogs.

There is a European Reception tonight and the Freedom Association also have an event.

There is an interesting peice on ConservativeHome about how Lincoln City Council have halve staff absenteeism.

Family doctor surgeries across West Lindsey face closure under Whitehall plans

Giles McNeill expresses concern over plans to impose ‘polyclinics’ on communities

Giles McNeill, Nettleham Parish Conuncillor and Conservative candidate for West Lindsey District Council, voiced his opposition today to Whitehall plans to replace local GPs’ surgeries with impersonal super-surgeries known as ‘polyclinics’. It has been estimated that 1,700 family doctor surgeries could be closed down across England. Estimates have suggested that across Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust, six GP surgeries could be shut under Labour’s plans.

Polyclinics are little different from a small hospital, and nothing like the independent, local GP practice with just a few doctors whom patients know and trust. Labour Ministers are planning to end the era of local GP surgeries in almost every area. This will mean that patients will have to travel further to receive treatment, which will particularly disadvantage the elderly and families with small children.

Giles McNeill commented,

“We already knew that the Labour Government is planning to close thousands of local Post Offices. Now I fear that local GP surgeries are in their sights. Patients will have further to travel and will be lucky to see the same GP twice. We all know that the long term furture of the Nettleham Medical Practice with in the village is underthreat.”

“Labour politicians in Whitehall must not be allowed to force polyclinics on areas where they are unwanted and not needed.”

Worrying new figures reveal cancer care unfairness – Giles McNeill

Giles McNeill, Nettleham Parish Council, voiced his serious concern today following the publication of new figures that reveal huge variations in the amount spent on cancer patients in different areas of the country.

The new statistics reveal huge discrepancies in funding between Primary Care Trust areas: each cancer sufferer Lincolnshire receives just £9,163 a year – by contrast, cancer sufferers in Nottingham receive £17,028 a year.

The figures may help to explain not only why inequalities in cancer death rates have widened during Labour’s ten years in power, but also why access to drugs for the treatment of cancer varies so much across the country.

Giles McNeill said:

“The Labour Government’s own statistics have revealed a huge disparity in funding for cancer services. I very much value the hard work by doctors and nurses in Lincolnshire but it is being hampered by Whitehall officials who are distributing health funding across the country unfairly.

“This is yet another example of Ministers mismanaging the NHS, taking no account of the needs of cancer patients, and creating a two-tier service. Unequal access to cancer care and treatment which is so apparent in various parts of the country cannot be tackled while there are such large variations in the funding for it.”