GP surgeries face closure
if “mini hospitals” go ahead
by David Skentelbery
A STORM is growing over the controversial plans to revolutionise primary health care at Warrington ? with opponents claiming they would mean the closure of every doctor’s surgery in the town.
Hundreds of people are signing SOS “Save our Surgeries” petition forms in GP practices across the borough.
Doctors are said to be 100 per cent opposed to the Warrington Primary Care Trust proposals to replace individual surgeries with five super “mini hospitals” strategically placed across the borough.
GPs have not commented publicly – but privately they are telling patients that not a single doctor in the borough supports the proposals.
Warrington-Worldwide exclusively reported the growing unrest on March 8.
The PCT says the development would make the town a national leader in the provision of primary health care. Family doctors, nurses, therapists, dentists and other health professional would work from the five state-of-the-art centres which would be open seven days a week from 6am to 10pm.
Each centre would also have a pharmacy, treatment rooms for minor surgery, diagnostic facilities, community mental health services, a gymnasium and a coffee lounge. They would all be on bus routes and have free parking – and the first two would be open within three years.
Wheelchair user Jill Brookes, from Old Hall, has started her own protest petition.
She said: “These new centres may be alright for someone with a sore throat, or something like that. But they won’t cater for the elderly or people with long term conditions.
“I can’t use a bus so I would have to take a taxi and it is almost certain I would have to travel further.”
The PCT has launched a series of consultation meetings, but Mrs Brookes said questions from worried members of the public at the first one were “totally ignored.”
Stockton Heath resident Jill Harper said: “It would be a scandal to close our local surgery, which has 17,000 patients. The PCT has not thought this through. A town of 200,000 people would need more than five health centres.”
A GP said: “This could result in practices of up to 30 doctors. It would become very difficult for patients to see their own doctor because of the shift system that would operate.
“It could also result in patients having to travel considerable distances to see their GP – which would be a problem for those without their own transport. We cannot see this idea being in the interests of patients.”
Jon Tomlinson, acting chief executive of the PCT, said: “We aim to offer patients a much wider range of health services in the community but this is only possible if we have the right size and quality of premises to invest in new state of the art technology.
“Health centres will offer all the services presently provided by GPs and at clinics, plus many more. All GPs will be able to practise as family doctors from one of the health centres. Patients will be able to book appointments as now and if their GP is not available will either be able to book a later appointment or see another GP or health professional.
“By having a single contract with each health centre there will be significant opportunities for making the system work better and more efficiently.”
Mr Tomlinson said no GP would be forced to work in the new centres – but he admitted when the centres opened, some existing surgeries may no longer be viable.
War veterans honoured
by Gary Skentelbery
WARRINGTON’S war veterans were honoured during a special presentation of the 200th Veteran’s Lapel Badge awarded in the town to former Royal Engineer John Taylor.
Coun Paul Kenny, who has been campaigning for veterans to be awarded the medals welcomed more than 100 HM Armed Forces Veteran Lapel Badge holders to Ryfields Retirement Village to celebrate the occasion.
Lord Hoyle of Warrington was guest of honour and presented the former Royal Engineer with his badge.
Coun Kenny launched his campaign to raise awareness of the badge in the summer of 2005 and has now obtained 200 badges for local veterans.
He said: ?I wanted to recognise the contribution and sacrifice of veterans across the town as well as raise awareness of the badge. That is why I launched the campaign to bring the badge to the attention of local veterans.
?From WWII, The Korean War and active service in Malaysia and Aden the town?s veterans were represented here today at Ryfields. They have served their country with pride so it was fitting that so many could attend the event.?
Mr Taylor of Nora Street, Howley, served in the Royal Engineers in Malaya between 1948-50 providing support to UK forces. His main duties were the installation of water supplies and the construction of bridges.
Mr Taylor married Edith in 1955 and they had 3 children. They can now boast six grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.
The HM Armed Forces Veterans Badge was launched in May 2004 for all First World War veterans and Second World War veterans, who, under the Heroes Return scheme, travelled back to the battlefronts they had fought on.
As the badge was so popular, eligibility was quickly extended to include all Second World War veterans and those who served at any time up to December 31, 1954.
The Veterans Badge was extended further to all those who served in the armed forces at any time up to December 31 1969. The government have now announced that the badge can be awarded to all veterans who served up to and including December 31, 1984.
The badge is intended to be worn on civilian attire so that veterans can be recognised in the community. More than 350,000 badges have now been issued to veterans and war widows/widowers.
Coun Kenny is pleased the government has announced an extension to the scheme so that for the first time veterans of the Falklands War would now become eligible to receive the lapel badge.
Hunt goes on for
bus sex attacker
by John Hendon
POLICE have released a CCTV picture of a man alleged to have carried out a sex attack on a 22-year-old woman on a bus at Warrington.
The attack ? originally reported by Warrington-Worldwide on March 13 ? took place on a No 420 Earlestown to Warrington bus on Saturday, March 10.
A woman boarded the bus at Earlestown bus station shortly before 8pm. A man followed her onto the bus to sit behind her. He engaged her in conversation and then moved to sit next to her.
He then indecently assaulted her before getting off the bus in Winwick Street, Warrington. She remained on the bus until it reached Warrington bus station.
Police say the man was described as being about 40, scruffy looking with grey facial hair. He was about 5ft 8 inches tall and was wearing grey denim jeans with boots.
Police are appealing for witnesses of the incident and would like to hear from anyone who thinks they recognise the man. Anyone who can help should call PC Pamela Hopkins on 01244 613875.
Comic capers on campus!
STUDENTS and staff at Warrington’s Priestley College raised a staggering ?700 for Comic Relief.
Teaching at the Loushers Lane campus ended earlier than usual so the college community was able to have a little fun at the same time as raising funds for the worthwhile cause.
Brave male students from Public Services led the way when they had their legs waxed while elsewhere giant sumo wresting suits were provided to those brave enough for the challenge.
Media Studies students clashed against a team of staff in an hour long football match and wannabe pop stars were also charged ?1 a time to sing their favourite karaoke tunes during events which were well prepared and marshalled by the College Council.
College marketing officer Nat Ashurst said: “Comic Relief always manages to capture the imagination of all on campus and this year proved no different.
“The college prides itself on its community spirit which once ag
ain came to the forefront in the name of charity. To raise ?700 during the course of one afternoon, speaks volumes for the effort put in and the goodwill shown.”
New service for parents
parted from children
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON-based charity The Relationships Centre has launched a new service to allow parents to interact directly with specialist advisors, via the web.
The ?Live Support? service is an expansion of the charity?s FamiliesTogether helpline, which already attracts calls from many parents who have little or no contact with their children.
Charity spokeswoman Marissa Hankinson said: “The majority of calls we receive to the FamiliesTogether helpline, are from where communication has broken down between the adults.
?We provide them with the emotional support and on occasion, mediation to rebuild those links.
“We are expanding the FamiliesTogether service so that we can offer more support to parents, specifically around our website www.familiestogether.co.uk ?The ‘Live Support’ service allows parents to interact directly with our specialist advisors instantly via the web. This is a very new approach for us; we are using established technology innovatively via a whole new setting not previously done before.?
Anyone with little or no contact with their children and needing support should visit the website or call the helpline on 01925 246922.
Store room blaze
by staff reporter
FIRE crews from Warrington and Birchwood were called out to deal with a blaze in a store room at the rear of the Spar Shop in Dam Lane, Woolston.
The fire was found to have been caused through an electrical fault and firefighters wore breathing apparatus to tackle the outbreak using a hose reel jet.
A ventilation unit was also used to clear smoke from the premises. In a separate incident, fire crews went to Warrington Museum and Library to deal with an alert caused by an electrical fault.
