NHS cuts: financial vested interests questioned

Save our Hospitals march: Shepherd's Bush

Andy Slaughter has written a blunt letter to Dr Anne Rainsberry, the Chief Executive of NHS NW London, about the conflict of interests issues arising from the Shaping a Healthier Future programme, which is set to close most hospital services in our borough.

This follows press reports that the sell off programme of NHS assets is set to make some working in the NHS very wealthy people, with both of our hospital sites being earmarked for property developers. Several individuals involved in deciding the fate of those sites also have interests in the private company that the Guardian highlights as being set to make a tidy sum. 

Now there's a coincidence. 

In his letter Mr Slaughter had this to say:

Dear Ms Rainsberry, 

I attach the front page article from today’s Guardian, which you may have seen, regarding the sale of out of hours GP service provider Harmoni to Care UK. The article states that a number of GPs will make substantial sums from the sale.  

I note that four of the CCG chairs in NW London declare shareholding or directorship in Harmoni, as does your Medical Director. It would be helpful to know if they are beneficiaries of the sale and by what amount.  

Looking the future, I note a number of other private medical interests in the declarations made by those who will be making decisions on the future of our local NHS. What assurances can you give that those making decisions on your ‘shaping a healthier future’ programme will see no direct or indirect financial benefit therefrom?

No reply has yet been forthcoming...

The latest revelations follow the disastrous appearance of Mark Spencer, Medical Director of NHS NW London on the BBC Politics Show, who proceeded to tell elected politicians that they really should just belt up and do what the doctor says. Shame that one of his key claims, that local GPs support the plans, was shortly afterwards proved to be false by our Council. 

It's like watching a sinister version of the Muppet Show. 

Goldhawk Road: Still standing

The Goldhawk Road is still alive despite rumours apparently being circulated by our Council and their colleagues at Orion the property developers that somehow they've thrown in the towel. The rumours are being stoked so much I have beeen asked by those trading on the Goldhawk to confirm this.

In fact to give you a flavour of how our local Council is viewed in these 'ere parts this is what I received by one of them by email:

"As you are more than aware we are entering another round with the Lying Bastards Heaping Falsehoods (aka LBHF). Rumours are still abounding about the shops being closed etc. Is there any chance you can put on your blog that we are all open and trading please"

As well as demonstrating, again, the depths to which this local authority-developer axis will go to to illegally bulldoze local people out of the way it does seem to return us to the same place we've found ourselves in before numerous times in this Borough. The High Court. And they, not the council it would seem, will decide the Bush's fate.

Fried chicken Green part-opens

Well, they've ignored most deadlines, those folks from FM Conway, but sadly for them Remembrance Sunday was a non movable object, seeing as the mini centotaph for the Bush is located on the Green itself and is the destination for marching columns of cadets from the armed and police services, followed by the politicians.

So in the goodness of their hearts they've now opened two thirds of the Green, which has immediately received a fullsome W12 makeover of fried chicken boxes and discarded bones from our many outlets around the Green itself. Walking across it this morning I noticed two minor improvements from the almost year long wait - a resurfaced path and a nice mound. 

Chronicle backs Super Sewer Shocka

Thames Water is delighted that a majority of Fulham Chronicle readers have apparently endorsed the Thames Tideway Tunnel, and have started publicising the results of a recent online poll they have been running.

Red faces all round, as the Chronicle usually likes to back the Council on this one, but it seems that its own readers feel otherwise. I suspect the way they could refute the result is by revealing how few people actually took part, but will their pride permit them?!

Pavement danger to Bush pedestrians

Path facing Walkabout c/o Karen Fraser (H&F Cyclists)

The new lethal looking pavement which we've probably all now walked on, skirting the ever-delayed works on the Green, has been irking the local cycling fraternity who rightly fear that the path, which slopes directly into three lanes of traffic, is a tiny bit dangerous.

It's hard to disagree, but what makes me more concerned is the confirmation that H&F Cyclists appear to have had from our Council, that both cyclists and pedestrians will be expected to "share" both pathways when the fence surrounding the works is eventually removed.

Do the transport bods have any idea of the danger that would pose to people on foot, particularly those not nimble or agile enough to dart out of the way of the idiots that whizz through the Bush on bikes when they should be on the road? At the very least allocate one path for bikes and the other for people, or the danger of the sloping path won't be the only hazard faced by people walking about the Bush.

H&F Cyclists have been writing to Andy Slaughter and the Council to complain, but I suggest they are not the only ones who should be!

Video: Ravenscourt Park Fireworks

Tonight's firework display in Ravenscourt Park was actually well worth the fiver it cost to get in - which was only marginally more expensive than the cost of a single portion of chips on one of the super rip-off vans selling food at the event!

Despite the lack of a fire, which I thought was a real gap, the fireworks were well worth the wait. First off was the kids performance which was still quite good for the non kids among us and ended with a few big 'uns in the air. But the Bond-themed adult performance 30 minutes later was actually really impressive. Set to current and historic theme tunes of Bond films the kaleidoscopic explosions seemed to follow the music well, including for example gold fingers streaking upwards to the theme of GoldFinger, and had some real spectaculars at the end.

A really clever move was to have no alcohol - the vibe of the whole event was really positive and H&F Council deserve real credit for putting it on. Well done chaps.

Askew Business Network talks sound

The Askew Business Network will be having its next get together on Thursday November 15th at the Greyhound Pub, and will this time be hearing from someone who has made their name in the world of digital radio.

They say:

"Pam Myers initially wanted to be a show-jumper. She failed to achieve this early ambition, but ended up in advertising, subsequently running her own radio production company, Rorschach. She still thinks she's a radio ad. producer, so how come she now produces audio for web, mobile, virals and social media? Sounds and ‘brands’ are definitely in the relationship you may not even realise you have with your computer or radio. Can you leave home without tripping over a sonic trigger? The right voice for a product can still cut across a crowded marketing environment".

So if that's yer bag, get along. Maybe they'll be discussing what to do with the hulk of the now defunct Hell's Pizza Askew pub, which is a pretty depressing sight these days.