Lynne Featherstone

A disabled woman who has spent a year and a half in the same room without access to normal bathroom facilities has this week got extra support from local MP Lynne Featherstone to make sure Haringey Council delivers on their year-old promise to build her an accessible toilet and shower room.

Highgate resident Michelle, who is bed-ridden and in severe pain following an operation 18 months ago, cannot use the stairs and upstairs bathroom. In April 2009 she was assured by Haringey Council that a downstairs bathroom would be built. 11 months later, after full plans have been drawn up and the case given the highest priority, the work still hasn’t started.

Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone, who recently visited Michelle to see the dreadful situation for herself, has now intervened and demanded that Haringey Council gives a definite date for when work will start.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“Michelle has been to hell and back, and frankly having to wait almost year for Haringey Council to deliver on their promise to get her an accessible bathroom adds insult to injury!

“It’s a question of decency and with full planning sorted and the space cleared for work to be carried out, I’m honestly at a loss as to why she keeps being fobbed off.

“This has been going on for too long. She needs that bathroom and Haringey Council needs to start work now – no more excuses!”

Highgate resident Michelle adds:

“Through the years I have had to deal with Haringey Council on many occasions. I have always tried to deal with issues myself first, but often have had to turn to Lynne for help – with her help I for instance got the Council to put in a disabled bay in front of my house.

“The situation I’m in now is so difficult, but hopefully with the help of Lynne, I will soon have my new bathroom.”

Local residents will not be able to use the Northern Line from local stations in Highgate, Archway and Finchley at weekends until December 2011 after tube operator, Tubelines, announced 82 weeks of weekend closures, starting on 27 March 2010.

The Liberal Democrats have launched a petition against the closures, saying that they will affect residents travelling into central London and will also have a detrimental effect on local traders in Highgate High Street and Archway, who rely on shoppers travelling in on the tube.

Liberal Democrats on the Greater London Authority (GLA), concerned that the issue has turned into a fight between a Tory Mayor and a Labour Government, rather than focusing on the needs of Londoners, have launched a five-point plan to ensure a better upgrade of the Northern Line, without the mass suspensions currently planned.

Cllr Martin Newton, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, comments:

“Local residents rely on the Northern line to get around at weekends. Twenty months of suspensions just increases the misery faced by travellers on the ‘Misery Line’.”

Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, adds:

“We all want a better Northern Line, but not when local residents have to put up with 82 weeks of weekend closures.

“Many local traders in Highgate and Archway rely on trade coming from tube users. It is unfair for these businesses, already feeling the pinch due to the economic situation, to bear the brunt of these closures.

“I hope that local residents and traders alike will support our fight against the closures and the Liberal Democrats’ five point plan to a smoother upgrade of the Northern Line.”

To help raise awareness of the proposed 82 weeks of evening and weekend closures on the Northern Line and to gain further support for their campaign Liberal Democrats have been out collecting petition signatures around Highgate Station.

Lynne Featherstone MP, Highgate councillor Rachel Allison and local Transport spokesperson Councillor Martin Newton spent Wednesday afternoon chatting with tube users at Highgate station and received strong support for their petition to get a better deal for commuters.

Local Liberal Democrats are concerned that local traders and residents will bare the brunt of the disruption caused by the 82 week plan, which is due to start on the 27th March.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP has written to Transport for London (TfL) and Tubelines, urging them to consider an alternative five-point plan put forward by Liberal Democrats on the Greater London Authority which seeks to reduce the effect on local residents and traders.

Any Northern line user who wants to sign the petition should either go to http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/northernline or call Lynne Featherstone’s office for a hard copy of the petition.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“We all want to see an upgraded Northern Line but the current plans will make residents suffer for almost a year and a half as the upgrade work is carried out on the Northern line – this is frankly absurd.

“It’s good to see that local residents share our concerns about how disruptive these works will be, and are keen to seen a less painful solution. By putting a strong case for a fairer upgrade deal to the people in charge I am hopeful we can get a better solution.”

Highgate Councillor Rachel Allison adds:

“I’m really worried that local traders in Highgate and Archway will suffer if their weekend trade is continually disrupted like this.

“From chatting to local Northern line users, it’s clear that a deal that doesn’t prolong the pain is preferable. Please take a minute to sign the petition and back our campaign.”

Here's my latest column for the Muswell Hill Flyer and the Highgate Handbook:

I sent out an email to my special email list to ask for people's personal stories of when the Whittington Accident & Emergency had been important in their lives – and got a phenomenal response. (If you want to be on this list just email lynne and say so).

I will be presenting these to all the members of all the boards of all the layers of NHS decision makers who are working out our future health services (and there are many of them) and to the government in due course – to try and remind them that this about people's lives – and that we are not just pawns on some management chessboard.

The clue is in the title of the service - ‘emergency’ – and some of the stories tell how the ambulance man or woman has said we must go to the nearest hospital because x won’t make it if we don’t – every second counts.

Now every resident of Muswell Hill and Highgate who has contacted me about this is quite clear about the importance of having a full 24/7 A&E locally. Distance matters both for saving lives but also for ease of access. And quite frankly the Whittington is far better placed for public transport than the Royal Free for us.

The decision makers are arguing that distance isn’t always important and that extra GP hours, NHS Direct and pharmacies can be a viable alternative. But no amount of extra GP hours or even an urgent care centre (which is one of their alternative suggestions) can replace a full A&E service. This is insanity being wrapped up and sold to us under the guise of ‘better clinical outcomes’. Yes – there are people who use A&E who don’t need to – but taking away A&E isn’t the answer – adding a GP walk-in where those people could be diverted to - could be.

If our A&E goes – as sure as night follows day – we will also lose obstetrics and the Intensive Care Unit. There will be no emergency take from GPs and it will compromise the teaching of medical students at the Whittington.

As for the funding, I put it directly to the Minister, Mike O’Brien, in an Adjournment Debate on the Whittington, that there is a fear that this is about cuts and budgets. The Minister assured me, on the record, that there would be no ‘slash and burn’ solutions and that all of this was about better clinical outcomes.

Well – for all those stories where people would have died if there had not been an A&E at the Whittington – seems to me being alive is a pretty good clinical outcome.

Full credit to Rachel Tyndall (Chair of the North London Central Review Panel) for sending me the NCL Strategy Plan for our local health services. I had heard that these had been submitted to NHS London and asked for a copy - and it was given to me virtually immediately. I have circulated the document for information.

The content is of concern. First let me say - this is a long, technical document - in which the arguments are laid out for the configuration of health services across five boroughs and between five hospitals: Barnet, Royal Free, North Mids, UCLH and the Whittington. Ms Tyndall has said that a more accessible version for public consumption will be provided in due course.

In the appendix, are laid out, seven 'scenarios'. This is where the fight to Save the Whittington A&E will come - if these are the 'options' that come for public consultation next autumn.

The seven 'scenarios'  demonstrate different configurations between the five hospitals as to what services will be provided from each hospital. It is about a total provision - obviously - not just A&E. Suffice to say that four out of the seven 'scenarios' show an end to 24/7 A&E at the Whittington. Three show retention of 24/7 A&E.

Interestingly two of the 'scenarios' show a reduction to 16 hours A&E - however - from the minutes of the Board Meeting of the Council of Governors of the Whittington it is quite clear that the the 16 hour A&E is not a real option. The actual wording from the minutes of the meeting of the Council of Governors of the Whittington reads (and I quote directly):

Very importantly NCL and the Whittington have ruled out an option where the Whittington has an A&E with reduced opening time eg 16hours per day. This leaves options where either the full 24 hour A&E is retained or there is no A&E at all. The Whittington might then have an urgent care centre.

So - I don't know why NCL have included two options showing a 16 hour A&E as clearly that has already been ruled out. This makes me wonder if options have been put in that are not really and truly under consideration but are there to make two of the options look better than they are - as they seem to offer some A&E rather than none. I will seek clarification on this seemingly conflicting evidence.

The greater problem for all of us fighting to save the Whittington A&E - is that as long as there are any 'scenarios' that don't retain 24 hour A&E - we are in jeopardy. So - we need the public consultation next autumn to simply ask those who use the Whittington whether we want to retain the 24 A&E service or whether we would prefer the alternative range of provision at the polyclinic, GP extra hours, urgent care centre etc favoured by NCL and the Trusts.

Anything else opens the way to closure of A&E at the Whittington.

At this point - it is a battle to make sure whatever options finally come forward for consultation- that if local people want to retain a 24 hour A&E at the Whittington - it is retained!

When I heard the magnitude of the scale of the closures that Tubelines want during their upgrade of the Northern Line I thought they must be taking the you know what!

Sixteen months of early evening closures and something like 83 weekends - and we are talking major closures - either the whole caboodle and/or north of Stockwell. They must be bloody mad!

I could say 'I told you so' - 'cos I did - endlessly when Labour forced the PPP (private public partnership) on us for the tube. The contract is a nightmare - and now we in North London (and the other end of the Northern line obviously) are about to be tortured endlessly by this dreadful arrangement.

Boris has woken up late - as usual - hope someone is checking what he said about the PPP! As Mayor he is now saying let's change the contract to another private company. That would be out of the frying pan into the fire AND would cost a fortune to get out of the existing contract I bet. The shareholders wanting a slice is much of the current problem and definitely a huge whack of the ginormous price tag of £6 billion that Tubelines are asking for.

£6billion! It could be done for £4 billion I am sure - if the  shareholders and profiteers were not guaranteed under the PPP contract their rake off before the work even begins.

No - our best bet - is for Tubelines to want out of the contract themselves. Then LU / TfL who already had to rescue Metronet when they went under (the other private public partnership) to take over. Blimey - just when you think it can't get worse - it does.

Having been Chair of Transport in London for nearly five years when I was on the London Assembly - and knowing a little bit about engineering and repairs as a consequence - I am sure that Tubelines have asked for way more closures than they need. The reason - well they would get charged a penalty probably if they over ran their agreed closure time - and so rather than risk penalties - I bet they have asked for loads more time in closures then is actually needed.

So - I have got my fingers crossed - just hoping that Tubelines want to get out of the kitchen!

No - this isn't about the A&E - I wish they said yes to that too. No - this is my visit to the Whittington with members of the Haringey Phoenix Group who work with blind and visually impaired people in Haringey.

Have you ever thought about this - you get the results to your tests for cancer - and because it is in print - you can't read it and have to ask a neighbour to help. Can you imagine how dreadful it must be to have to bring someone else into what is a private matter. Of course - you may be lucky and have a partner or friend who you are happy to see your most intimate correspondence - but there are times when this just isn't appropriate. Or the letter might be about an appointment - and you don't get to see it or know about it until too late. And quite frankly - it should be a basic right in a civilised society to receive medical information in a form that is accessible to those who are blind or visually impaired.

Well - actually it is a right - in legislation! The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Equality Duty of 2006 say this should be the case - but the actuality just isn't happening. Partly this is because patients don't ask - and partly because hospitals and GPs don't offer or aren't set up to deliver.

Hence my visit with the wonderful Haringey Phoenix Group. We met with Kate Slemeck and two other Whittington officials to discuss how we could arrive at a situation where asking wasn't necessary because the IT system flagged up both that the patient was visually impaired but also what type of communication results, appointments - any communication - should be in. This could be anything from braille, to large print format (different point sizes for different degrees of impairment), audio tapes, etc.  Then automatically - all communication would be in that format. This is part of a campaign by the RNIB to convert the right in law - to the reality on the ground.

Three cheers for the Whittington - who embraced this and said they could see no reason why not - and were prepared to run a pilot. This would be a real breakthrough and the Whittington would be the first hospital to trial and hopefully become a beacon for provision of communication in appropriate format.

Of course - there's a bit of a way to go - but they were welcoming, said that their IT system could flag this information up as we suggested. The next stage is to get GPs to ensure that this information - that the patient is visually impaired and identify the format required - so that it can be put onto the hospital system. And of course - it needs to be on the GP system - and all blind and visually impaired people need to make sure that the GP does this and so on.

So next step is to get Haringey PCT to write to all the GPs locally asking them to make sure that both on their own system and when they refere patients to the Whittington - it is made clear that this information has to be entered for flagging and so on.

I am assuming that the PCT will be delighted and willing to do so. I cannot imagine any reason why not - and this is the sort of small change that will make a huge difference.

Three cheers for the Whittington!

Canvassing in Hornsey & Wood Green this last weekend, there was a solitary, sodden Tory leaflet on the pavement. I picked it up and put it in a bin - as political litter gives all of us a bad name. Then yesterday I received this email from a local constituent. This is what she sent to the Conservative candidate for Hornsey & Wood Green in response to that  same leaflet - and she has given me permission to publish it.

Dear Mr Merrin
I have lived in Shepherds Hill for four years and other than receiving one very apathetic communication from your goodselves prior to the last Local Elections, this is the first Conservative newsletter I have had posted through my door! I rather think that you ought to change the title of your newsletter because 'in touch' you are not! Ah well, as the General Election is looming, I suppose you had to produce something!

Your comments about Lynne Featherstone in your newsletter are rather unfair - but that's politics I guess - let's have a dig! Take it from me, she is much respected by her constituents who find her very proactive and approachable, and issues brought to her and her Lib Dem councillors are resolved quickly. Any issues I have wanted Ms Featherstone to take up for me have been dealt with promptly and resolved. She informs frequently with newsletters and she e-mails her supporters on matters which are of importance to us. I, and others I know in Shepherds Hill, think she is probably the best MP in Parliament.

I have voted Conservative all my life, but this time I will be voting for the Liberal Democrats - I like their thinking and I want Ms Featherstone to retain her seat in Parliament.

Yours sincerely

Carole                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Highgate

Residents in Highgate will have more access to car club vehicles, after Haringey Council agreed to adopt Liberal Democrat councillors’ proposals to provide more car club bays for local people.

Haringey Council has taken up Liberal Democrat Councillor Neil WiIliams’ calls for improvements to the initial scheme, set up last year, which failed to include the densely populated Miltons area of Highgate, east of Archway Road, and the north of Highgate, near the Kenwood Estate.

Haringey Council is now proposing that four more car club bays will be installed - two near the Kenwood Estate and two in the Miltons area. The new bays in Highgate are part of an expansion of the car club scheme, which will provide an additional 39 spaces.

Cllr Neil Williams (Highgate ward) comments:

“I am glad that Haringey Council has recognised our calls to make it easier for local Highgate residents to use the car club scheme.

“It hasn’t been long since my colleague Cllr Rachel Allison led the campaign, successfully, for the introduction of a car club scheme in Highgate. Now we have a scheme that is thriving and expanding.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Car clubs are vital in the continuing fight to reduce our carbon footprints. Well done to Highgate councillors, for helping to get better access for local residents.”

Locations of the new Car Club bays:

1. Sheldon Avenue N6 4NJ: two car club parking bays near Kenwood Estate.
2. Tudor Close N6 5PR: two car club parking bays in Homes for Haringey car park.

Local traders and residents in this area of Highgate won a bid for funding for a Christmas tree to brighten up a little patch of land in this very heavily trafficky corner between Archway Road and Muswell Hill Road. You can read the sad tale here in the Evening Standard. The picture shows my Liberal Democrat colleagues standing by a very pathetic looking Christmas Tree - a tree that actually cost £150 but which, by the time Haringey Council had erected it, cost £1500. The local residents and my LibDem councillor colleagues are pretty cross - to put it mildly.

This tale of Christmas Tree woe stands as a metaphor for Haringey Council - they do things really badly and it costs the earth.

But as it's the season of good will...........................