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26
May, 2002
NHS Wales
The Government's NHS bill for Wales has been published in draft form*. For
the first time, the National Assembly for Wales will scrutinise and debate
legislation before it is introduced formally into the Westminster
parliament. The draft bill is also out for public consultation. The main
elements of the draft bill are:
· developing the role of the 22 community health councils in Wales.
· creating a Wales Centre for Health, a new independent organisation with
responsibility for training, advice and research related to the protection
and improvement of the health of people in Wales.
· establishing Health Professions Wales as a successor to the Wales National
Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.
THE INSTITUTE OF RURAL HEALTH
EUROPEAN CONFERENCE FOR FAMILY DOCTORS
A major European conference for family practitioners, titled 'Promoting Excellence in Family Medicine', is coming to London in June.
More than 2,500 delegates are expected to attend the WONCA (World Organisation of National Councils and Associations of Family Doctors) Europe 2002 conference at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London from June 9-13.
The conference is being hosted by the Royal College of General Practitioners and EURIPA (the European Rural and Isolated Practitioners Association) is running a series of workshops addressing rural health issues across Europe.
EURIPA is supported by the Institute of Rural Health (IRH), an organisation dedicated to optimising health and well being in rural communities across the UK, which acts as the secretariat for the European association.
"The conference aims to give delegates the opportunity to advance their professional knowledge and explore current issues of excellence in family medicine," explained Jane Randall-Smith, chief executive of the IRH, which is based at Gregynog, Newtown in Mid Wales.
"It also provides a superb opportunity to network with colleagues from across Europe."
WONCA was founded in 1972 to develop and maintain high standards of care in general family practice. The association now represents 65 member organisations and 140,000 general practitioners in 56 countries worldwide.
More information about the conference is available online at www.woncaeurope2002.com.
19
April, 2002
Blairism and F & M
Using its three
non-public enquiries as a shield the government squirms and wriggles
over its blundering handling of the foot and mouth outbreak. The
hand of Blair is likely to be deeply involved here for it was he who
took personal control of the eradication programme. When he
found it was beyond his super-natural presidential powers he somehow
faded from the picture leaving his minions to continue the destruction
of the countryside. It now appears that maybe there will be
a public enquiry, despite all Blair's wiles but this one will be through
the Courts. Businesses who lost huge amounts financially may
well call ministers to give evidence in open Court. There is
evidence that the government acted illegally by forcing culls on
contiguous farms.
14
April, 2002
DOUBLE HONOUR FOR DR. SOMERLED FERGUSSON.
On 12th March 2002 the Institute of Contemporary Scotland held its first Rural lecture and it was named after Somerled. "That usually happens after you are dead" was his comment when he spoke his thanks for the honour. The lecture was given by one of his proteges.. Dr. Jim Douglas MD, FRCP (Edin), FRCGP who is a G.P. at Fort William and currently Director of RARARI (Remote and Rural Areas Initiative). Before the lecture, Dr. Bill O`Neill.. Scretary of BMA Scotland invested Somerled with the Fellowship of the BMA. This was an honour that he should have received years ago when he was doing so much to improve the Health Service in the Highalnds and Islands. The Associate Scheme which has made such a tremendous improvement in the lives of single handed rural G.P.s and their families was his idea. He mixed and baked the cake but others added the decor and pinched the credit.
23
March, 2002
Fox hunting
This magazine
supports fox-hunting and the Countryside Alliance.
26
February, 2002
New contract and country doctors
Dr Chisholm has
written to GPs saying that in the new contract "the level of
resources will be linked to the number of patients a practice is caring
for weighted in accordance with factors related to the needs of those
patients"
If words mean what words
say, the small list country doctor and his patients will once again be
overlooked. We need to know.
19
February, 2002
Scots GPs go BASIC
T^he Scottish
Executive is providing £360,000 to train all remote and rural GPs in
BASIC care. In addition, all GPs comp-leting the course will
be provided with emergency equipment by The Sandpiper Trust charity.
22
January, 2002
NFU
The NFU has
accused the government of incompetence in its handling of the F&M
epidemic. Still in denial, DEFRA threw up its
hands and cried "Not me, guv". Meanwhile the Blair
cover-up and whitewash machine moves up a gear.
21
January, 2002
The Countess of Mar
Always one to
keep an eye on legislative matters relevant to the countryside (she was
for many years Patron of the original DDA), the Countess of Mar was one
of the "hereditaries" who spoke against the Animal Health
Bill. Readers will recall that this Bill has little to do
with animal health and a great deal to do with animal murder. When
passed, the Bill will grant Ministry vets and others the right to
descend on any farm, at any time, without permission to kill any animal
they wish. Should the hapless farmer object then he could be
jailed. This is Blair's Britain. Well done, Margaret
Mar. Sadly, it is not long before Blair will replace strong,
opposing voices In the Lords like hers with his own appointed toads.
The arrogant and smug
Blair, for whom only 25% of the population voted, surrounded by incompetent Ministers, has done more to harm the
fabric of United Kingdom than any previous Prime Minister.
Fridges
How many fridges
have been dumped in the ditches near you? Another
example of Blairite incompetence, this time laid at the feet of DEFRA
Minister Meacher who failed to recognise that an EC Regulation would
force local authorities to recycle the CFC gasses they contain.
Consequently there are no recycling plants in the UK so the LAs are not
interested in fridges. Meantime, if LAs are compelled to store
fridges until recycling facilities are prepared, the cost to the country
will be £75/year. There will also be a cost for collection
to the consumer or unfortunate farmer on whose land thy have been
dumped. hence the dumping.
14
January, 2002
Blair F & M cover-up
Wheels within
wheels. It has just been revealed that the Blair
"enquiry" into the F&M outbreak is chaired by Sir Brian
Follet, who is employed by the Oxford U. Zoology Dept, where Profs
Krebs, May and Anderson work. Prof Andersen wrote a paper,
endorsed by Krebs (Head of Food Standards Agency) and Prof May (recently
the Blair Chief Scientist). Anderson was the chief policy adviser
on F&M and worked with Follett who chairs the
"independent" F&M enquiry.
More about F&M
DEFRA has
admitted that of the 6 million animals slaughtered only 1 in 7 was
infected.
Cabinet Minister Margaret
Beckett when asked how many animals had been slaughtered since the
crisis officially ended, replied that 4,125 premises had been affected. In fact, the
real answer should have been 158.000 animals slaughtered since September 2000 under the
"contiguous kill" policy.
"Contiguous
kill" is, in fact illegal but the government is in the process of
taking steps to pass laws (the quaintly titled Animal Health Bill) which
will allow ministry vets to enter any farmer's private property without
permission to kill any animal in any farm at any time,
without restriction. This is Blair's Britain.
Sheep and BSE
God knows what
they are playing at but in an act of gross irresponsibility the same eminent
geniuses mentioned above, including Prof
Anderson, are claiming to link BSE to sheep and scrapie and then on to
NvCJD. Their
paper is full of "ifs" and empty of a shred of evidence.
Anderson, the Professor of If, was the chief policy adviser on F&M
and worked with Prof Follett who chairs the F&M Enquiry. The
definition of "science" is "knowledge" but, if
reports are right, that does not seem to trouble the authors of this
Paper nor does it bode well for the F&M Enquiry.
Rural intimidation
Hunt Saboteur
organisations are illegally - but without restraint - harassing country
pubs who support Hunts. This includes smashing windows,
jamming phone lines, graffiti, intimidatory and threatening anonymous
letters. Several pubs are now protecting themselves by yielding to
the threats and banning hunt supporters from meetings and events on
their premises. And the law does what in Blair's Britain? |
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