A Final Act for the benefit of the people of Southend from beyond the grave!

This is written by my friend and colleague, Stephen George.

Until the last few months of his terminal illness, my late father Colin George chaired the Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation, a committee comprised of local people that helped to raise millions of pounds for the provision of amongst other things specialist equipment for the Stroke Unit enabling it to become one of the best in this country.

As a politician he knew that in reality there are actually very few times when people elected to positions of power locally are privileged enough to wield that power in order to shape, influence and even make a real decision that makes a real difference. This is one of those times!

Stephen George

Ironically I was in Hadleigh on Saturday 6th October to discuss with my mother and sister the disposal of my fathers ashes, who having given his body for medical research was only recently cremated as the medical researchers keep donated bodies for three years before releasing the remains to their families. Afterwards I had to go to Basildon as my son had been invited to a birthday party unfortunately we arrived as it finished having been delayed by the accident at the Rayleigh Weir that occurred earlier in the morning and there was traffic chaos on the A127 and A13 as people sought alternative routes from Southend to Basildon.

Then think of the 'golden hour', the period of time between the occurrence of a stroke and the provision of treatment needed in order for there to be a favourable patient outcome. Think of a resident living in the Garrison site in Shoebury  and even with a blue light I suspect any ambulance would have struggled to make it from Shoebury to Basildon in under an hour.

My fathers life was saved at an early age by the predecessor of the NHS and as a result remained a firm believer in the NHS. He was a man who devoted his life to the town and people of Southend as a Councillor, County Councillor, Magistrate, General Secretary of the local Citizens Advice Bureau for over 30 years, Chair of Estuary Housing Association and finally as Chair of Southend Hospital's Charitable Foundation.

I know my father would be favour of improved NHS services, however he would not be in favour of change if it was detrimental to patients and other services. Unfortunately it appears that under the STP this is clearly the case.

Therefore I urge you, on behalf of my late father, do not allow the betrayal of thousands of Southend people who raised millions of pounds for their local Hospital and Stroke Unit. Do not 'sit on the fence' or allow yourself to be threatened by arguments of 'lost funding', but instead do the 'right thing for the good of Southend and its people' and refer all or even part of the STP back to the Secretary of State for Health now before it is too late!

Seventy years of the National Health Service – will we see another seventy?

The National Health Service has been serving the UK for 70 years, and in that time it has touched the lives of most, if not all, who live in this great country. It was lovely to see the recent celebrations, and I have heard many moving stories. From cradle to grave the NHS cares, and whilst no-one will pretend it is perfect, most will have good things to say about the doctors, nurses and other health professionals who give so much and work so hard.

I have seen a lot of the NHS over the last couple of years, and as a parent it was there to help deliver my children. I can say that my personal experience has been mostly good, although we can all see that improvements can be made.

However, continuous improvement is one thing, wholesale changes driven by fiscal demands are another.

We live in a wealthy country, a country that is one of the major economic powerhouses. Yet, sometimes healthcare, especially when a government whose priority is austerity (eight years and counting), falls short. A government intent on an agenda of cuts, cuts and yet more cuts, is not one to trust with looking after the NHS.

For instance, the current STP process suggests that receptionists will undertake an element of triage.

This is discombobulating enough. Worse though is the likelihood of this triage aspect to expand – especially as the bean counters who seem to run the world nowadays will see this as another way to cut costs (never mind what this means for the patients). Aside from anything else, the sick often want reassurance and I am doubtful whether this can come from anyone but a health professional. One dreads to think what mistakes could be made – doctors get it wrong sometimes, the untrained are bound to more prone to mistakes.

I won’t be around to see another 70 years of the NHS, and yet I hope I can have the expectation that such a milestone will be reached.

Don't let the Tories downgrade Southend Hospital & devastate social care

Save Southend A&E High Street stall

Despite being somewhat delicate after an episode of self-induced food poisoning (the idiocy that comes with too little time to properly shop or prepare food) I managed a relatively full day of community activity and campaigning.

Sandwiched in the middle of all this I paid a visit to Save Southend A&E's street stall in Southend's High Street where a very good turnout of those concerned about the Government's proposals collected a lot of signatures. I am very pleased to play my small part in helping to keep NHS facilities in the borough.

Fighting the threat to the Westborough Health Centre

Tuesday, St.Andrew's church. A gathering of more than thirty patients from the Westborough Health Centre. Three Labour councillors also attended (Jones, Ware-Lane, Wilis), two because they are also patients registered at this surgery.

There is a sense that there is an agenda to close WHC down, that all one-doctor surgeries are being squeezed out in favour of the new large health centres. This, it seems , is the agenda at large when the NHS is in the hands of Conservatives.

This has been my surgery for more years than I care to count, since I was a child in fact. But my desire to keep it open has nothing to do with dewy-eyed nostalgia, and everything to do with the fact that Dr Bhattacharjee is a good doctor, a popular doctor. He has always provided a first class service for me.

This surgery has been damned by the Care Quality Commission. This is at odds with my experience. I have recently had good cause to celebrate the excellent care given here, and my diagnosis to cure period of under two months for a very serious condition is testament to the diligence and care given me. I may well have suffered considerably had I been registered elsewhere.

My new lease of life is not entirely due to Dr Bhattacharjee, but he can claim significant credit. I hope he has many years of practise in front of him, and I hope that this is delivered at the Westborough Health Centre.