health and social care – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

02Jul 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Great news as Shaw and Crompton Health Centre redevelopment now back on track

The Oldham NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have announced that plans to redevelop Shaw and Crompton Health Centre are back on track after the decision to pull the plug on the development sparked interventions from local Liberal Democrat councillors. Shaw councillor Howard Sykes MBE said on behalf of all his Shaw and Crompton colleagues that the announcement from the CCG was: “long overdue and was after hours of work behind the scenes to thrash out the problems that had held the project up". Councillor Sykes continued: “This is great news for Shaw and Crompton. Access to modern healthcare facilities is a top priority for the people we represent. They deserve the security of knowing those services will be there when they need them. What we’ve had is a long and…

23Jun 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

No answers and no help on cost of energy lifesaving medical equipment

People in Oldham with urgent medical needs are being ignored after the rise in the energy cap has massively increased the cost of life saving energy equipment. After a resident contacted local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani, worried about rising energy costs stopping them from running their BPAP machine which they have to use overnight, he contacted the Council to ask what support was available. There was no national support, and the Council was organising a working group to look at the problem. The working group had no timescale for reporting, and despite his requests for updates, nothing has happened in the two months since. Sam said: “I can’t understand why the response to this is a working group? Given that the cap on energy costs has been massively increased,…

17Jun 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Foster carers left months without reply as Oldham Council slammed for inaction

Borough news, health and social care

Oldham’s foster carers have been left waiting months for a response after raising concerns about the cost-of-living with senior council figures. Shaw representative and Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE called the situation “shameful” as he and his colleagues called for answers on behalf of local foster carers. Oldham Council has so far been unable to provide answers to foster carers in the Borough who have raised concerns about making ends meet during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. (See attached letter which is one of many councillors have received at the end of March/early April). Councillor Sykes said: “This is an incredibly stressful time for foster carers who are rightly raising concerns about Oldham Council’s policy towards supporting them financially. Other local councils offer foster carers reimbursement through council…

30May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Hospital trusts accountability must return

Borough news, health and social care

Oldham’s patients will be left unrepresented and uncared for if Oldham Council persists with no scrutiny of the new Northern Care Alliance, says Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Louie Hamblett, with the Council having not replaced the board which previously oversaw the activities of the now dissolved Pennine Care. With current IT failures causing huge problems across the Alliance, the importance of being able to scrutinise the trust has been placed firmly in the spotlight. The Shadow Cabinet Member for Health said: “No-one will be speaking up for patients in the new system, and there is already confusion over services being provided in different hospitals. “Currently there are patients who are getting services in hospitals which are not covered by the Northern Care Alliance – they are contracting in services in…

27Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Ban water company bosses’ bonuses until sewage discharges end say local Liberal Democrats

Borough news, environment, health and social care, Parliamentary news

Water company bosses were awarded £27 million in bonuses while pumping raw sewage into England’s waterways over 1,000 times a day. Oldham Liberal Democrats demand a “sewage bonus ban” to ban future bonuses until sewage dumps stop. England’s water company bosses have awarded themselves almost £27 million in bonuses over the past two years despite pumping out raw sewage into waterways 1,000 times a day, the Liberal Democrats have revealed. Analysis of Companies House records by the Liberal Democrats shows that executives at England’s water and sewage companies were paid £48 million in 2020 and 2021, including £27.6 million in bonuses, benefits and incentives. The eye-watering executive pay packets and company profits were made despite the Environment Agency reporting nearly 772,000 sewage dumping events taking place in 2020 and 2021…

14Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Councillors demand action as Shaw and Crompton Health Centre redevelopment stalls

Borough news, health and social care

After the last-minute announcement from Oldham’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that the planned redevelopment of Shaw and Crompton’s Health Centre would not go ahead as currently planned, Shaw councillor and Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader Howard Sykes and Crompton councillor Louie Hamblett, the health and social care spokesperson, have held a meeting with CCG representatives to get answers for the delay and to push for the work to go ahead. “I have already got assurance from Oldham Council (the Chief Executive) they will keep the land for this project and do what they can to make this happen,” stated councillor Sykes. At an urgent meeting on April 7 the CCG set out the “unforeseen” factors that had contributed to its decision including a rise in the cost of building materials. Councillor…

03Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Plans for a new Shaw and Crompton Health Centre dropped at last minute

Borough news, health and social care

Shaw and Crompton communities have had a bomb shell delivered that the plug has just been pulled on their new Health Centre at the last minute. Shaw and Crompton councillors have been informed that a new health centre for Shaw and Crompton is now not affordable, and so Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have axed the scheme. “Shaw and Crompton councillors have worked incredibly hard to reach the position where this was ready to go, with the site ready to go, capital funding allocated, a developer commissioned, and plans developed. This is a massive kick in the teeth and a great disappointment to our local community and those who use and work in the current Health Centre,” stated Shaw councillor and Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Howard Sykes. Shadow Cabinet Member…

22Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Healthwatch UK find NHS not supporting equal access to care for deaf, blind, and disabled people

Borough news, health and social care

Having already written to senior officers at Pennine Care, Oldham Hospital and CCG about their treatment of blind, deaf and disabled people, Councillor Louie Hamblett has had his concerns backed up by a Healthwatch UK report that many NHS trust are failing to meet their legal duty to help people with additional communication needs. One local residents, Mrs Farnworth, complained to services last year regarding her experience with her past hospital appointments last year after she was turned away from a smear appointment because of the lack of disability equipment. In his letter, Councillor Hamblett asked how much support their trusts and services are able to offer those with additional needs and whether they could assure him, residents and their patients that they will receive full and unrestrained standard support…

18Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

‘Postcode lottery’ on children’s mental health revealed

Borough news, health and social care

Children in Oldham get £63.90 spent on them, compared to £165.20 in the Isle of Wight Shadow Health and Social Care Cabinet Member Louie Hamblett has condemned the postcode lottery which means that children in Oldham get almost two thirds less spent on their mental health than children on the Isle of Wight. The Liberal Democrats are putting a Private Members’ Bill forward to Parliament today to force the Government to report strict figures on waiting times for assessment, treatment and referrals, as well as a breakdown of where money is being spent on children’s mental health. Liberal Democrat Councillor Hamblett said: “Any parent wants to ensure that their children get the best treatment, and a fair turn. That children in Oldham get so much less spent on their mental…

22Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Tax on caring unfair and unjust

Borough news, health and social care

Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Louie Hamblett who is the Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care expressed alarm at the recent announcement by the government to end free COVID tests. Councillor Hamblett said: “Charging people for the tests they need to safely see vulnerable loved ones is a tax on caring, that risks leaving millions of people in lockdown by stealth. Throughout the pandemic, people have been trying hard to do the right thing and keep others safe. The Government should not be making that harder.” The latest figures show that every week nearly four million people take regular Covid tests, taking two tests a week on average. This includes people who take tests to protect their elderly relatives and friends, or vulnerable workers who work in people-facing industries…