Lynne Featherstone

Many people responded to my request for personal stories as to why it was so important that the Whittington A&E stayed open. I will publish one a day for the foreseeable future - to remind those putting forward the proposals and making the decisions - that this is about people's lives not paper solutions.

Denise's story:

I have to say I was aghast when I heard that the A&E department was under threat.   I actually thought it was a rumour - that someone had got hold of the wrong end of the stick.   I have signed the petition.

We have lived in Muswell Hill for 32 years and brought up our four children here.  We have had occasion to go to the hospital many times. Two of our daughters were admitted  (on different occasions) from the A&E department, one of them with a burst appendix.  If we had had to drive any further to get her to a hospital I doubt she would have lived to tell the tale.  More recently, we had to take our baby granddaughter to A&E because she started having breathing difficulties.   She was seen quite quickly and given treatment, though not by the duty paediatrician because he was trying to save the life of a smaller baby who had just been brought in by ambulance.  Again, the thought of having to drive for miles with a very sick child is horrendous.  The Whittington A&E department is always busy.  It beggars belief that anyone could think it should close.

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!

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!

Young students from Fortismere School came to Muswell Hill Synagogue for Holocaust Memorial Day. Rabbi Mason welcomed them. I spoke to them about the current relevance of the Holocaust - about how hatred and discrimination goes on day in day out - even in our playgrounds. And how, when you hear anyone say something derogatory and disgusting about others - be that about being gay, disabled, black, whatever - if you didn't speak up then you are complicit. And how important this is - and how - under pressure, a whole nation can change and become frightened into silence virtually.

Then came Joan Salter, whose own children had gone to Fortismere, and whose name was changed long ago by the American family she was placed with after the war. Whenever you hear a Holocaust Survivor's story - you are moved to tears and you cannot believe man's inhumanity to man.

Joan's story was a bit different. For a start - she, her half-sister and both her mother and father survived the Holocaust - just. The tale is one of fear, hiding, danger, hardship, separation and endurance. But shining out in that story of survival really against all odds and a journey from Poland, to Paris, to Belgium, to Spain, to Portugal and to the USA, are those in those countries who risked their lives to shelter, hide, feed or help the individuals in this family.

They did risk their own lives to speak out and say that what Hitler was doing was hideous, evil and despite danger to their own lives, they would not be cowed and frightened and complicit - but stood full square to help those Jews that they could.

A wonderful story - and I have no doubt that the Fortismere students who heard it - will remember the lesson that is taught by the example of this one brave survivor.

A huge thank you to Tamara Broido and the Muswell Hill Holocaust Memorial Day Committee, Rabbi Mason and all who made this really valuable event possible.

Businesses have been forced to remove advertising banners from the streets of Muswell Hill, after decisive action by local Liberal Democrats. Concerned that permission had not been granted to place banners on railings in Muswell Hill Broadway and Fortis Green Road, both in a conservation area, Cllr Gail Engert demanded that Haringey Council urges businesses to remove them.

This is the most recent success in the ongoing Liberal Democrat campaign against the unpopular banners in local town centres. In the last four years, local Liberal Democrats have successfully removed banners, including controversial banners advertising Kentucky Fried Chicken in Crouch End.

Cllr Gail Engert (Muswell Hill), comments:

“Many of these banners have been found to breach council planning rules, yet it is left to local residents to tell Haringey Council that this intrusive and often illegal advertising is not needed or wanted in our conservation areas.

“We must make our town centres as attractive to visitors as possible – banners on every lamp post and railing do not provide the welcoming atmosphere most residents want.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Local Liberal Democrats will continue to fight against these unpopular and unwanted banners.”

Liberal Democrats have called for the opening hours at the Muswell Hill Youth Centre to be increased, to let young people in the area have the same access to youth facilities as in other parts of the borough.

Information on staffing and costs at youth clubs was revealed, in a written response from the Labour Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to Cllr Gail Engert, at the last Full Council meeting on 30th November 2009. It showed that Muswell Hill Youth Club only opens for three hours on weekdays, in contrast to 5.5 hours at the Bruce Grove and Wood Green centres and opens for a total of 720 hours per year, compared to 1320 hours at others.

Cllr Engert has written to Haringey Council to urge that Muswell Hill Youth Centre is opened for longer hours, in line with other centres in the borough.

Cllr Gail Engert, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Children and Young People, comments:

“Giving local young people their own dedicated facility provides a much needed focal point, where they can meet and experiment with arts, sports and creative projects.

“It seems entirely unfair that young people in Muswell Hill have fewer opportunities than those in Wood Green or Bruce Grove, to attend their youth club.

“I will be writing to Haringey Council, to urge them to change this unfair situation.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Haringey Council should give an equal opportunity to all young people to go to youth clubs, especially during the winter months, when outside activities are limited.”

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

It must be horrible to have drunks vomit over your garden wall, throw estate agents signs into your front porch and to feel threatened if coming home in the dark alone. But that’s the experience of those who live near the clubs at the top of Muswell Hill – and many other places where the alcohol fuelled version of the night-time economy blossoms.

But what can actually be done about it? That really is the big question. It’s one posed by a group of residents who raised with me the constant noise and nuisance caused by drunken souls exiting from establishments near their homes.

There is a right for any of the responsible authorities (police, health and safety, environmental health, fire authority, safeguarding authority) to call for a review of an establishment’s license if there are serious problems of crime and disorder, public nuisance, public safety or protection of children from harm.

If the police are called on a regular basis to stop fights and violence, or serving underage drinkers and so on – then they can call in the license for review and it can be revoked. However, for the drip, drip, drip of local nuisance, vomit, noise, and general disturbance it is very, very difficult to demonstrate that matters are serious enough to justify a review. That’s all the more so when it often isn’t clear which club someone came out of and, in the absence of a police presence, it can be hard to prove the existence and severity of incidents.

The Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Residents’ Association had a public meeting recently at which the Safer Neighbourhood Teams, Haringey’s chief licensing officer, some of the local club owners – and residents – discussed these matters.

My Lib Dem colleague, Cllr Gail Engert speculated that the clubs should put a stamp on customers as they enter their club – so at least it could be established where they had come out of. It was also agreed at the meeting that residents should join the monthly ClubWatch group – which currently is just police and club operators. Working together must be one of the best ways forward.

But the over-arching problem is that since the ending of the requirement for licenses to be renewed each year, residents have lost their annual opportunity to voice their objections and recount their experiences.

I am hopeful that ClubWatch will be the practical and best way forward. But I will be dropping the appropriate Secretary of State a line to point out the very weak position that local people find themselves in and asking what the Government proposes to do to strengthen their hand.

Jeremy Corbyn - MP for Islington North - managed to get an adjournment debate last night on the future of the Whittington - and he very kindly let me speak. For him and I, the most affected constituencies, we are joining forces to ensure that NHS health bosses get the message loud and clear BEFORE decisions are made - that local people are madder than hell at even the suggestion of closure or reduction.

Interestingly, and I will look at Hansard later today, the Minister seemed pretty ticked off with the North London sector and the PCTs and the way they have gone about this. So - hopefully - between an ear-wigging from the minister and the wrath of the local people and MPs we will frighten them off.

They now speak in whispers about how nothing is decided and they are just looking at options. Don't be fooled - it is quite clear to me that was an option they were considering and without a public rumpus - they would have continued sweetly on that path!

Rumours are emerging that the planned merger of the Whittington and Royal Free Hospitals will not be enough to satisfy NHS bosses and that there may instead be a forced marriage between the Whittington, Royal Free and UCLH Hospitals.

This raises interesting questions, because UCLH is a Foundation Trust. I believe this may mean that the proposed 'merger' will be nothing of the sort, but will instead be a take-over by UCLH of the other two hospitals - a wonderful Xmas present for UCLH, which has been dreaming of this for years.... This disaster just goes on and on...."

Meanwhile, lots of denials by NHS bosses about intentions to close or reduce A&E departments at the Whittington and North Mid.

Having now been in elected politics for over ten years - one thing I am sure of - when there are budget cuts demanded and letters showing closure sent out and then denied - is that the sooner and the louder that local people let their views be known the better!

Otherwise - heaven forfend - we could find that none of the options that come to public consultation next September contain anything that bears any relationship to what local people actually want!