Archive for October, 2009
October 22nd, 2009 | 
Author: “It may prove that only extra money will permit Burnley to have its own facilities. If so, then the government needs to respond. Burnley people and their local representatives will always prioritise public health over illegal foreign wars, useless ID cards and disastrous defence procurement projects. This money must be spent instead on helping people to stay fit and healthy, and that is what we expect our government to do.”
Posted in Latest News, Local News, Local News, News | 
Tags: a&e, birtwistle, election, gordon, health, hospital, lib dems, nhs, petition, winning, won | 
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Now is the time for local hospital bosses to hold a truly independent inquiry into the closure of Burnley’s A&E unit.
“We now have a new Chair and Chief Executive of the local hospitals trust”, said local campaigner Gordon Birtwistle. “Now they can start to undo the mistakes made in recent years.”
The Trust’s new chief executive is also the Chief Exec for two successful A&Es in Halifax and Huddersfield. These serve two towns closer together and with a smaller population than Burnley and Blackburn and show that it is possible to have an effective solution with two A&E units.
Gordon led the fight against the Labour government’s plans to shut Burnley’s A&E unit and recently presented a petition signed by over 9000 local people calling for it to be re-opened.
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Thousands of police officers forced to retire after being injured in the line of duty face having their injury pensions cut back to minimum levels, research by the Liberal Democrats has found.
Previously, officers were allocated an additional sum each year to compensate them for the injuries they received, even when they reached retirement age. However, since Home Office guidance was issued in 2004, many forces have reassessed officers when they have reached retirement age and reduced their injury awards to the lowest possible level. The Government’s recent response to a consultation on this subject suggests that this practice is about to become more widespread. |
| Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne has written to Alan Johnson to demand that he put an end to the practice of police injury pensions being changed retrospectively.
Commenting, Chris Huhne said: “The thousands of police officers who have been injured in the line of duty are a reminder of what a dangerous and difficult job it can be. “As a result of Home Office guidance, many have had their injury pensions slashed and even more are at risk after the Government endorsed the policy in a recent consultation. “When ill health forced them to retire, they were promised that they would be compensated for the rest of their lives. It is unfair to move the goalposts now. “There is an exact parallel with the military covenant, and it will prove just as embarrassing to the Home Office as it was to the Ministry of Defence. “Hero cops who put their bodies on the line in the name of the public safety deserve to be more than just a victim of budget cuts. “These brave men and women are now faced with a hefty drop in income once they reach retirement age and a very uncertain future as a result. “This is another example of the Government breaking promises to those that choose to serve.” A copy of Chris Huhne’s letter to Alan Johnson can be read here. |
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Now they are closing the Childrens ward at Burnley General
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