Government U-turn, library row, and Alex services - This weeks Redditch letters

THIS weeks letters to the editor.

‘Disregard for the public’

I AM, as I’m sure you will realise, absolutely delighted by the U-turn regarding ticket office closures.

However, the Government is saying it had nothing to do with the original plans and it was because of its intervention that the TOCs had reversed its plans.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the government had asked train operators to withdraw their proposals because they failed to meet high passenger standards.

This is at best disingenuous and more likely an outright failure to tell the truth.

In point of fact the Prime Minister said, in September, that closing ticket offices was ‘the right thing for the British public and British taxpayers’ as ‘only one in 10 tickets were sold currently in ticket offices’.

It is very clear indeed that the plan to close ticket offices based on mis data [misinterpreted data] and a total disregard for the public (see Covid Inquiry) originated in Westminster.

Nigel Braithwaite

Headless Cross

‘Alex needs services back’

RACHEL Maclean thinks she has done a good job? Here is the reality – three first-hand cases from people I know who have been to our hospitals.

Case one – confused with loss of memory. Sat in A&E for four hours before being seen.

Then blood tests etc and considered to have probably had a mini stroke after six hours – if this had been an ongoing active condition, the stroke would have led to major long-term disability.

Case two chest pains: four hours for ambulance to arrive, waited in ambulance at the hospital for ‘a long time’ before being seen.

Then wheeled past corridors full of people in stretchers to be checked out.

Luckily, this had not been a heart attack.

Case three – patient suffered accidental amputation at home – taken by car and a brilliant paramedic stopped bleeding and bandaged in the car park.

Sat in A&E for some time before being told she would be taken to Worcester as the new operating theatres do not operate on emergency finger surgery.

There were 14 ambulances waiting at Worcester.

Corridors full of stretchers. She spent the night sleeping in a corridor outside a ward before operation in the morning.

Two hours recovery in a ward and then back to the corridor while she waited for release paperwork.

Despite our theoretically brilliant operating theatres and surgeons at Redditch, she must go to Worcester for follow up assessments – Why?

I see nothing here for Rachel Maclean to think a success.

Where are our heart, stroke, full A&E, maternity and paediatrics, all lost since Cameron and his cronies came to power.

These are the essential services Redditch needs in the Alex,

Margot Bish

‘Loss of our library’

I NOTE that our MP has welcomed the decision to reverse the planned closures of railway ticket offices, claiming:

“This is a victory for everyone who took part in the consultation, and ensured their voices were heard.”

Such a shame that she and her Conservative colleagues were not able to adopt a similar attitude towards the library project.

On a separate note, it is amusing to see that the video uploaded by her team to various social media sites, welcoming the good news about new council housing, still contains the comment about bungalows being ‘sort after’.

Given that Mrs Maclean submitted one of her NHS ‘plans’ with a ‘forward’ at the beginning, little wonder Rishi Sunak has indicated he would like English taught until the age of 18.

Ian Preece

Webheath

‘Give something back’

WE LOST my dad to cancer in 2015, just 18 months after we’d lost my Mum to the same illness.

Dad was cared for by the excellent Sue Ryder Nurses in his last days and we wanted to give something back to say thank you for helping us through one of the most difficult times in our lives. That’s how the charity’s December Daily Dash was born.

The Sue Ryder December Daily Dash asks fund-raisers to run, jog or walk every day of the month to raise vital funds for the charity.

We wanted the challenge to be all about choice and accessibility – so you can do the Dash wherever, however and at any pace that you’d like.

Initially, it was just us joined by 11 friends – now there is a community of over 2,000 people that take part in the challenge to raise money for Sue Ryder’s palliative and bereavement support!

It doesn’t matter how you take it on, with friends, with family or on your own. Do it for yourself, do it to support a loved one, or do it in memory of a loved one.

Not only will running, jogging or walking everyday help to raise money for Sue Ryder, which supports people through the most difficult times of their lives, whether that’s a terminal illness or the loss of a loved one, but it’s a fun way to take time out for you.

We have created a wonderful community that motivate each other to keep going through the grey, rainy days.

You can sign up to the December Daily Dash by visiting DecemberDailyDash.com – on behalf of us and Sue Ryder, thank you.

Jackie and Mark Smith

Founders of the December Daily Dash and Sue Ryder fund-raisers

Editors comment

THIS WEEKEND, with Armistice Day tomorrow and Remembrance Sunday the following day, gives us all the opportunity to pay tribute to all those who have lost their lives through war and conflict.

This year’s parades and services will be particularly poignant as they will be held amidst the seemingly never-ending fighting in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Please attend one of our many local events and give generously to the Poppy Appeal to help the Royal British Legion support our former servicemen and women