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Press Releases / November 8, 2011 / Comment now
Grahame Morris MP, a Member of the Health Select Committee, today attacked both the Prime Minister and his embattled Health Secretary Andrew Lansley for their attempts to do-down the NHS on cancer treatment.
A recent study in the British Journal of Cancer by Professor Colin Pritchard and Dr Tamas Hickish has shown the NHS to be a world leader in cancer treatment and in efficient and effective cancer care relative to spend. The NHS was the most efficient of the 10 countries when considering GDP spent on healthcare across different countries.
Yet both the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary have both sought to use cancer outcomes as a reason to forward their own reform agenda for the NHS in England.
Grahame Morris said:
“It is disappointing that we have a Health Secretary who seems determined to talk down the NHS and undermine its achievements in order to get his own way on NHS reform in England.
“Andrew Lansley tried to hide the fact that public satisfaction with the NHS reached an all time high under Labour. He seems to be the only man in England that doesn’t like the NHS.
“This report shows that for the money spent, the NHS achieves the most efficient and effective outcomes. We don’t need reckless reforms, but continued investment.
One of the report’s authors Prof Colin Pritchard, a health academic at Bournemouth University, said:
“This paper should be a real boost to cancer patients and their families because the NHS’s performance on cancer is much better than the media presents.
“It challenges the government’s assertion that the NHS is inefficient and ineffective at treating cancer – an argument for reforming the NHS.”
Local MP Grahame Morris Launches East Durham Credit Union
Press Releases / November 2, 2011 / Comment now
The primary aim of the Credit Union is to establish East Durham wide access to a community based low cost savings and loans club. This will be achieved through the development of at least 14 new collection points and by increasing Credit Union membership in East Durham by 600.
Establishing a credit union has required the recruitment and training of volunteers and identifying the need for additional collection points across the East Durham area. Currently there are 4 collection points all in the South of the former Easington District area with more to follow.
Recognising the impact of debt on children and families our Credit Union will work with Secondary Schools and Colleges to promote money management amongst young people as well as developing links to preschool groups, surestart centres and primary schools across East Durham.
East Durham Area Action Partnership has secured funding for a dedicated Development Officer who will be based in East Durham Trust and East Durham Homes.
Grahame Morris MP at the Credit Union Launch
Grahame Morris MP showed his support by signing up to East Durham Credit Union, who have already signed up 250 members. Mr Morris praised the vital work of Credit Union’s in tackling the UK’s debt crisis:
“Credit Unions are a vital facility to protect the UK’s three million poorest borrowers, who often have no option other than the high cost, short term credit market, pay day loan companies or illegal loan sharks. Interest rates charged by some unscrupulous pay day loan companies can be up to 3000 (three thousand) percent APR equivalent.
Britain’s interest repayments on personal debt were £67.8bn for the 12 months to May 2010. The average interest paid by each household on their total debt is approximately £2,692 each year. According to Price Waterhouse Coopers the average household will need to spend approximately 15% of net income purely to service the interest payments arising from this debt”.
High cost lending and debt affects certain groups of people disproportionately. Fair Finance, a social enterprise bank which offers loans and debt advice, has seen clear trends in those seeking its help. 75% of them are women, 70% are single mothers, 80% are on benefits, 60% are minorities and 75% are currently borrowing from expensive lenders.
Mr Morris added,
“I cannot overstate the importance of the East Durham Credit Union at this time when many families are struggling to make ends meet.
Weekly payment company, Buy As You View, charge an extortionate credit rate of 49.9%. Original sale prices are often inflated and customers on credit pay over the odds for household and electrical goods. They drive the poorest people into debt and poverty. It is vitally important people know that East Durham Credit Union is available, and is a better alternative than high cost, high credit stores.
High debt repayments have an immense effect on society, pushing people in to the inescapable cycle of debt and poverty with high debt repayments linked to a number of social ills including rent, council tax and utility arrears, poor diets, cold homes as well as increased mental health problems related to anxiety and depression.
I am delighted to launch this Credit Union project in East Durham”.
Ends
Notes to editor,
UK Debt Crisis
Total UK personal debt at the end of March 2010 stood at £1,460bn
Average household debt in the UK is £8,796 (excluding mortgages).
£181 Million of personal interest is paid in the UK daily
The UK’s poorest borrowers pay the highest price for credit in Europe.
Around 3 million people use the very high cost door to door or home credit lending market. This high cost market charges £82 in interest and collection charges for every £100 lent.
Other forms of high cost lending, such as Payday loans, which charge up to £35 per £100 lent, and recover monies directly from bank accounts, are expanding rapidly.
A million and a half more are indebted to payday lenders which have short-term loans with APR that often begins at 600% and can escalate to 2500% or more
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Easington MP accuses Deputy PM of attack on democracy
Press Releases / October 11, 2011 / Comment now
Labour MP Grahame Morris used a question in the House of Commons to probe Nick Clegg on changing the electoral registration process. Currently the head of household is compelled to ensure all residents are registered to vote but government plans would see a move to individual electoral registration on a voluntary basis.
Mr. Morris cited the Electoral Commission which has suggested voter registration could fall from over 90% now to around 65% if the government pushes ahead with the reform.
He went on to say:
“Ethnic minorities, young people and the urban poor will be disfranchised.
“Apart from gerrymandering the constituency boundaries, fixing the election timetable and now letting millions of people fall off the register, what else is he doing to let the Tories stay in power for a generation?”
The Deputy Prime Minister replied:
“We will now consider either the Electoral Commission’s variant or getting rid of the opt-out altogether. That is what I am saying, in a spirit of openness, that we are reflecting on, and that will be reflected in the final version of the legislation.”
However, it is thought that the Tory party would benefit significantly from allowing an opt-out and making voter registration voluntary.
Professor Iain McLean of Oxford University, told the Guardian in May 2010:
“…to move straight to individual registration risks moving straight to mass disenfranchisement of the young, the urban, the mobile and ethnic minority voters.
“The rot dates back to Margaret Thatcher’s disastrous decision to make the electoral register a source of the poll tax register. It is also a source of jury lists. In the late 1980s, millions of people looked at the costs and benefits of being on the register, and rationally decided to disappear. They are not yet back, nor are their sons and daughters … At worst, a move to immediate individual registration could make Britain in 2011 like Florida in 2000.”
Grahame Morris MP shows support for bereaved Armed Forces families
Press Releases / September 22, 2011 / Comment now
Grahame Morris, MP for Easington, has attended an event at the House of Commons organised by The Royal British Legion to highlight the importance of supporting bereaved Armed Forces families.
At the event, Mr Morris was told about the Legion’s work to improve the welfare of the Armed Forces family in the local area. The MP also learnt more about the Legion’s concern that the Government should support bereaved Armed Forces families by appointing a Chief Coroner to improve investigations into deaths of Service personnel.
Grahame Morris MP with Andrew Drake, the Legion’s County Manager for Northumbria
Andrew Drake, the Legion’s County Manager for Northumbria said, “It was great to see Grahame Morris MP; we really appreciated him making the time to drop in. Many people don’t realise that we spend nearly £1.4 million a week on helping both the serving and the ex-Service communities, including their families, so we were delighted to tell him about the range of services we provide. The Legion is currently celebrating its 90th Anniversary Year, and campaigning for the Armed Forces family is as important to us now as it was in 1921. Our main campaign at the moment is calling on the Government to do all they possibly can for bereaved Armed Forces families, specifically by appointing a Chief Coroner to spearhead reform of the inquest system.”
Grahame Morris MP said, “I was really pleased to see my local County Manager and tell him that just as the Legion supports bereaved Armed Forces families, so do I. The Legion does very important welfare work for some of my most vulnerable constituents in both the serving and ex-Service communities. It is vital that we, as a nation, are there for those serving in current conflicts, and especially for the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. I was grateful for the opportunity to learn more about how, in its 90th anniversary year, the Legion stands shoulder to shoulder with all who Serve, including bereaved Armed Forces families. They deserve as much support as we can give them”.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Andrew Drake
County Manager
The Royal British Legion Northumbria
0191 495 9512
NOTE TO EDITORS:
The Royal British Legion is the nation’s leading Armed Forces charity providing care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It is also the national Custodian of Remembrance and safeguards the Military Covenant between the nation and its Armed Forces. It is best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem the red poppy — www.britishlegion.org.uk.
During the event, Grahame Morris MP was photographed with Andrew Drake, the Legion’s County Manager for Northumbria. The event was held at the House of Commons on Wednesday 7th September 2011.
A North South Divide in Cancer Treatments
Press Releases / September 8, 2011 / Comment now
A new report published by the Department of Health in collaboration with the National Cancer Action Team has revealed a dangerous lack of cancer treatment available for North East patients.
The Radiotherapy Data Set Annual Report figures show that cancer patients in the North of England receive the lowest level of cancer treatment despite having the seventh highest level of new diagnosed cancer cases. The North East is currently ranked 28th of 28.
In comparison, north-west London has the lowest cancer rate but the highest level of radiotherapy followed by Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire.
The report’s concludes that cancer residents in the North of England have a lower than average access to radiotherapy services than other parts of the country.
Grahame Morris, MP for Easington and House of Commons Health Select Committee Member has called on the Government to take urgent action to address growing health inequities in the region.
“The latest report from the Department of Health highlights the widening North-South divide for cancer patients’ access to treatment
This postcode lottery across England for cancer treatment is risking the lives and health of cancer patients’ in the North East
The Government need to address the issues that are prohibiting equal access to cancer treatment across England and halt their transfer of resources from the North to the South”
A recent document produced by Public Health Manchester showed that the North East were set to lose £100m in funding to tackle health inequalities while Surrey gain £61.4m, Hampshire £52m and Hertfordshire £39.7m.
Mr Morris added
“The Government needs to invest in radiotherapy equipment in the North instead of cutting funding at a time while health inequalities are so prevalent in the region.
Grahame Morris has written to Simon Burns, Secretary of State for Health calling for the Government to invest in radiotherapy equipment to address the North East’s cancer injustice.
ENDS
Disabled set to lose out over under-occupancy Welfare Reforms
Press Releases / September 7, 2011 / 1 Comment
Today the Prime Minister was questioned by Labour MP Grahame Morris about the government’s planned cuts to housing benefit due to under-occupancy.
Controversial changes to the benefits system which are contained in the Welfare Reform Bill currently going through Parliament will affect 450,000 disabled people, including 33,000 disabled people in the North East. They stand to lose an average of £676 a year simply for having a spare bedroom. The Department of Work and Pensions has suggested that those people affected by housing benefit cuts due to under-occupancy, could take in a lodger to help to pay the bills.
Grahame Morris said:
“The Prime Minister has consistently promised to protect the most vulnerable from government cuts and yet disabled people are to be amongst the biggest losers from Tory-led welfare reforms. Changes contained in the Welfare Reform Bill could force disabled people out of their homes simply for having a spare bedroom. ”
In total 670,000 claimants are expected to be affected, of which 450,000 (66%) are disabled. Many social homes are adapted to be accessible for people with disabilities and research by the National Housing Federation has found an estimated 100,000 working-age social housing tenants in the UK claiming housing benefit live in adapted homes with one or more ‘spare’ bedrooms.
The NHF has also said putting personalised adaptations into new smaller properties will be costly estimating the average cost of the relevant grant for this work at £6,500 saying:
“Failure to exempt disabled people living in an adapted property from this measure may therefore lead to a net cost for the taxpayer. The Government must ensure that appropriate exemptions are put in place.”
ENDS
Tory-led Government shifting NHS money from the North East to better-off areas
Press Releases / August 1, 2011 / Comment now
A previously unpublished report reveals that the Tory-led Government is shifting NHS funding from the North East region to better-off areas.
The document, produced by Public Health Manchester for the Health Select Committee and obtained by Labour’s Debbie Abrahams MP, assesses the long-term impact of the Tory-led Government’s decision to change the way in which money is allocated to Primary Care Trusts so that it gives less weighting to health inequalities.
The figures show that Health Trusts across the North East face a £100m decrease in the money they receive based on their need to tackle health inequalities in 2011-2012. According to the analysis, the biggest losers in the region will be County Durham with a £26m reduction in funding. Hartlepool loses £5.4m, Middlesbrough loses £7.9m, Sunderland £14.9m and Newcastle £12.3m.
Meanwhile parts of the South of England look set to gain, with Surrey gaining £61.4m, Hampshire gaining £52m, Oxfordshire gain £22.1m and Hertfordshire will receive an extra £39.7m from the government.
Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary John Healey said:
“These shocking figures reveal that the Tories’ plans for the NHS will make inequality worse, not better. They are reducing funding to tackle poor health in the least healthy parts of the country, and shifting it to better off, healthier areas.”
Grahame Morris, Labour’s MP for Easington and a member of the House of Commons Health Select Committee said:
“This is yet more evidence that the Tory-led Government’s NHS plans are bad for people in the North East.
“Less well-off areas like County Durham will be among the biggest losers – losing £26 million to areas like Hertfordshire, Hampshire and Surrey. It makes absolutely no sense to do this. We already suffer from some of the highest levels of health inequalities when compared to the South of England.
“I have written to the Health Minister to seek an urgent meeting about the impact on health services in the North East”
“The Tory plans will hit services that help people stop smoking, promote healthy eating and exercise, and raise awareness about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases. They will make it harder to prevent the big killers like heart disease and cancer, and increase the costs of poor health for everyone in the long run.”
“It just reaffirms the message that our NHS is not safe in this Tory-led government’s hands.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
· The Government has reduced the weighting for health inequalities in the PCT allocation formulae for 2011/12 from 15% to 10%. The rate at which PCTs move towards these allocation targets is determined under “pace of change” rules.
· The figures are taken from a memorandum from Public Health Manchester, Manchester City Council and NHS Manchester to the Health Select Committee – full table below. Selected quotes:
“This [change in the PCT allocation formulae] results, other things being equal, in a shift in both target and actual allocations from poor health PCTs to good health PCTs. The effect on target allocations ranges from a 4.1 % reduction for Tower Hamlets PCT to a 4.2% increase for Surrey PCT.”
“The reduction of the health inequalities weighting is a ministerial judgment rather than an evidence based recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation. In fact the decision seems to contradict evidence from the recent DH-commissioned research on the subject.”
“This change could be interpreted as a reduction in the priority of tackling health inequalities and could be seen as contradicting the aspirations described in the recent White Papers, particularly in view of currently worsening health inequalities.”
Effect on 2011/12 PCT and SHA closing target allocations of changing the health inequalities weight from 15% to 10% in order of size and direction of effect.
| PCT | 2011-12 closing target DFLE at 15% | 2011-12 closing target DFLE at 10% | change £ 000’s | change % | Spearhead = S |
| Tower Hamlets PCT |
455,390 |
436,705 |
-18,686 |
-4.1 |
S |
| Manchester PCT |
1,032,222 |
990,556 |
-41,666 |
-4.0 |
S |
| Newham PCT |
494,707 |
476,702 |
-18,005 |
-3.6 |
S |
| Liverpool PCT |
964,224 |
930,913 |
-33,311 |
-3.5 |
S |
| City and Hackney Teaching PCT |
477,582 |
461,698 |
-15,884 |
-3.3 |
S |
| Nottingham City PCT |
566,335 |
547,970 |
-18,365 |
-3.2 |
S |
| Knowsley PCT |
326,808 |
316,621 |
-10,187 |
-3.1 |
S |
| Barnsley PCT |
473,915 |
459,219 |
-14,696 |
-3.1 |
S |
| Hartlepool PCT |
181,862 |
176,393 |
-5,469 |
-3.0 |
S |
| Middlesbrough PCT |
283,946 |
275,970 |
-7,976 |
-2.8 |
S |
| Sunderland Teaching PCT |
550,752 |
535,753 |
-14,999 |
-2.7 |
S |
| Islington PCT |
391,822 |
381,239 |
-10,583 |
-2.7 |
S |
| Stoke On Trent PCT |
528,026 |
513,873 |
-14,153 |
-2.7 |
S |
| Hull Teaching PCT |
511,249 |
498,006 |
-13,243 |
-2.6 |
S |
| Blackburn with Darwen Teaching Care Trust Plus |
283,680 |
276,333 |
-7,347 |
-2.6 |
S |
| County Durham PCT |
1,008,739 |
982,640 |
-26,100 |
-2.6 |
S |
| Salford PCT |
470,780 |
458,809 |
-11,971 |
-2.5 |
S |
| Halton and St Helens PCT |
596,778 |
581,645 |
-15,133 |
-2.5 |
S |
| Newcastle PCT |
490,132 |
477,756 |
-12,375 |
-2.5 |
S |
| Leicester City PCT |
559,216 |
545,454 |
-13,762 |
-2.5 |
S |
| Barking and Dagenham PCT |
325,038 |
317,045 |
-7,993 |
-2.5 |
S |
| Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT |
574,171 |
560,130 |
-14,040 |
-2.4 |
S |
| Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT |
506,630 |
494,779 |
-11,850 |
-2.3 |
S |
| Wakefield District PCT |
637,533 |
622,711 |
-14,822 |
-2.3 |
S |
| Doncaster PCT |
559,051 |
546,522 |
-12,529 |
-2.2 |
S |
| Rotherham PCT |
457,606 |
447,457 |
-10,149 |
-2.2 |
S |
| Gateshead PCT |
379,262 |
370,983 |
-8,279 |
-2.2 |
S |
| Blackpool PCT |
289,123 |
282,861 |
-6,262 |
-2.2 |
S |
| South Birmingham PCT |
624,444 |
610,953 |
-13,491 |
-2.2 |
S |
| Sandwell PCT |
582,831 |
570,683 |
-12,147 |
-2.1 |
S |
| Oldham PCT |
409,068 |
400,865 |
-8,203 |
-2.0 |
S |
| Birmingham East and North PCT |
729,973 |
715,352 |
-14,620 |
-2.0 |
S |
| Redcar and Cleveland PCT |
248,879 |
243,936 |
-4,943 |
-2.0 |
S |
| South Tyneside PCT |
297,044 |
291,253 |
-5,792 |
-1.9 |
S |
| Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT1 |
390,103 |
382,574 |
-7,529 |
-1.9 |
S |
| Lambeth PCT |
578,489 |
568,128 |
-10,361 |
-1.8 |
S |
| Bolton PCT |
489,187 |
480,663 |
-8,524 |
-1.7 |
S |
| Stockton-On-Tees Teaching PCT |
324,506 |
318,915 |
-5,591 |
-1.7 |
S |
| Tameside and Glossop PCT |
420,446 |
413,495 |
-6,951 |
-1.7 |
S |
| Wolverhampton City PCT |
445,995 |
438,759 |
-7,236 |
-1.6 |
S |
| Bassetlaw PCT |
196,134 |
192,986 |
-3,148 |
-1.6 |
S |
| East Lancashire Teaching PCT |
670,273 |
659,640 |
-10,633 |
-1.6 |
S |
| Waltham Forest PCT |
413,219 |
406,665 |
-6,554 |
-1.6 |
|
| Sheffield PCT |
934,232 |
919,990 |
-14,241 |
-1.5 |
|
| Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT |
875,399 |
862,603 |
-12,796 |
-1.5 |
S |
| Camden PCT |
419,825 |
413,793 |
-6,033 |
-1.4 |
|
| Greenwich Teaching PCT |
435,325 |
429,071 |
-6,254 |
-1.4 |
S |
| Southwark PCT |
531,501 |
524,054 |
-7,447 |
-1.4 |
S |
| Haringey Teaching PCT |
451,588 |
445,361 |
-6,226 |
-1.4 |
S |
| Plymouth Teaching PCT |
445,730 |
439,716 |
-6,014 |
-1.3 |
|
| Coventry Teaching PCT |
557,505 |
550,240 |
-7,265 |
-1.3 |
S |
| North Tyneside PCT |
368,504 |
363,754 |
-4,750 |
-1.3 |
S |
| Walsall Teaching PCT |
455,761 |
450,067 |
-5,694 |
-1.2 |
S |
| Telford and Wrekin PCT |
263,903 |
260,620 |
-3,283 |
-1.2 |
|
| Wirral PCT |
584,865 |
577,710 |
-7,156 |
-1.2 |
S |
| Lewisham PCT |
485,923 |
480,240 |
-5,684 |
-1.2 |
S |
| Darlington PCT |
177,558 |
175,700 |
-1,858 |
-1.0 |
|
| Derby City PCT |
463,818 |
459,056 |
-4,761 |
-1.0 |
|
| Southampton City PCT |
402,651 |
398,917 |
-3,734 |
-0.9 |
|
| Bury PCT |
313,930 |
311,068 |
-2,862 |
-0.9 |
S |
| Central Lancashire PCT |
747,786 |
741,012 |
-6,774 |
-0.9 |
S |
| Bristol PCT |
734,214 |
727,571 |
-6,643 |
-0.9 |
|
| Sefton PCT |
494,331 |
490,102 |
-4,229 |
-0.9 |
|
| Leeds PCT |
1,268,038 |
1,257,231 |
-10,807 |
-0.9 |
|
| Wandsworth PCT |
475,586 |
471,694 |
-3,893 |
-0.8 |
|
| Kirklees PCT |
654,232 |
648,880 |
-5,351 |
-0.8 |
|
| Warrington PCT |
317,241 |
314,988 |
-2,252 |
-0.7 |
S |
| Luton PCT |
313,044 |
310,825 |
-2,220 |
-0.7 |
|
| Hounslow PCT |
379,225 |
376,860 |
-2,365 |
-0.6 |
|
| Derbyshire County PCT |
1,180,387 |
1,173,064 |
-7,323 |
-0.6 |
S |
| North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus |
273,456 |
271,926 |
-1,530 |
-0.6 |
S |
| North Staffordshire PCT |
349,456 |
347,532 |
-1,924 |
-0.6 |
|
| Portsmouth City Teaching PCT |
334,602 |
332,800 |
-1,802 |
-0.5 |
|
| Northumberland Care Trust |
546,206 |
543,612 |
-2,594 |
-0.5 |
S |
| Calderdale PCT |
328,324 |
326,858 |
-1,466 |
-0.4 |
|
| Ealing PCT |
541,063 |
538,726 |
-2,337 |
-0.4 |
|
| Hammersmith and Fulham PCT |
283,611 |
282,424 |
-1,187 |
-0.4 |
S |
| North Lincolnshire PCT |
265,585 |
264,510 |
-1,075 |
-0.4 |
|
| Peterborough PCT |
256,304 |
255,300 |
-1,005 |
-0.4 |
|
| Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT |
1,061,627 |
1,057,660 |
-3,967 |
-0.4 |
|
| Brighton and Hove City PCT |
434,846 |
433,431 |
-1,415 |
-0.3 |
|
| Dudley PCT |
505,092 |
503,967 |
-1,125 |
-0.2 |
|
| Milton Keynes PCT |
356,110 |
355,396 |
-714 |
-0.2 |
|
| Brent Teaching PCT |
461,756 |
460,931 |
-824 |
-0.2 |
|
| Medway PCT |
420,430 |
419,699 |
-731 |
-0.2 |
|
| North Lancashire Teaching PCT |
558,876 |
558,331 |
-544 |
-0.1 |
|
| Redbridge PCT |
403,086 |
402,814 |
-272 |
-0.1 |
|
| South Staffordshire PCT |
937,099 |
937,972 |
873 |
0.1 |
S |
| Cumbria Teaching PCT |
848,757 |
849,863 |
1,106 |
0.1 |
S |
| Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT |
1,220,609 |
1,223,486 |
2,877 |
0.2 |
|
| Trafford PCT |
333,460 |
334,374 |
914 |
0.3 |
|
| Torbay Care Trust |
254,069 |
254,842 |
773 |
0.3 |
|
| Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT |
890,382 |
893,157 |
2,774 |
0.3 |
|
| Enfield PCT |
465,462 |
467,119 |
1,657 |
0.4 |
|
| Western Cheshire PCT |
383,477 |
384,935 |
1,458 |
0.4 |
|
| Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT |
395,295 |
397,056 |
1,761 |
0.4 |
|
| Hastings and Rother PCT |
315,054 |
316,482 |
1,428 |
0.5 |
|
| Lincolnshire Teaching PCT |
1,167,262 |
1,172,760 |
5,498 |
0.5 |
S |
| South West Essex PCT |
651,924 |
655,234 |
3,310 |
0.5 |
|
| Swindon PCT |
306,200 |
307,790 |
1,589 |
0.5 |
|
| Stockport PCT |
452,132 |
454,813 |
2,682 |
0.6 |
|
| North East Essex PCT |
545,308 |
549,092 |
3,785 |
0.7 |
|
| Croydon PCT |
550,110 |
554,098 |
3,987 |
0.7 |
|
| Isle of Wight NHS PCT |
249,794 |
251,924 |
2,130 |
0.9 |
|
| Hillingdon PCT |
387,903 |
391,328 |
3,425 |
0.9 |
|
| Northamptonshire Teaching PCT |
993,778 |
1,002,588 |
8,810 |
0.9 |
S |
| Warwickshire PCT |
791,591 |
799,405 |
7,814 |
1.0 |
|
| Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT |
678,375 |
686,186 |
7,811 |
1.2 |
|
| Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT |
540,122 |
546,382 |
6,261 |
1.2 |
|
| Westminster PCT |
401,950 |
406,690 |
4,739 |
1.2 |
|
| East Riding of Yorkshire PCT |
479,118 |
484,854 |
5,736 |
1.2 |
|
| Havering PCT |
399,134 |
404,239 |
5,105 |
1.3 |
|
| Worcestershire PCT |
825,802 |
836,819 |
11,017 |
1.3 |
|
| Norfolk PCT |
1,183,973 |
1,199,868 |
15,895 |
1.3 |
|
| Shropshire County PCT |
448,556 |
454,695 |
6,139 |
1.4 |
|
| South East Essex PCT |
541,503 |
549,050 |
7,547 |
1.4 |
|
| Sutton and Merton PCT |
542,089 |
550,775 |
8,687 |
1.6 |
|
| Herefordshire PCT |
277,961 |
282,532 |
4,571 |
1.6 |
|
| Bexley Care Trust |
337,933 |
343,694 |
5,760 |
1.7 |
|
| North Yorkshire and York PCT |
1,148,405 |
1,168,061 |
19,656 |
1.7 |
|
| Somerset PCT |
808,322 |
822,363 |
14,041 |
1.7 |
|
| Bedfordshire PCT |
599,545 |
609,973 |
10,429 |
1.7 |
|
| North Somerset PCT |
331,603 |
337,374 |
5,771 |
1.7 |
|
| Harrow PCT |
318,404 |
323,946 |
5,542 |
1.7 |
|
| Devon PCT |
1,143,276 |
1,163,880 |
20,604 |
1.8 |
|
| Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT |
909,896 |
926,923 |
17,027 |
1.9 |
|
| Solihull Care Trust |
308,340 |
314,131 |
5,791 |
1.9 |
|
| Barnet PCT |
518,400 |
528,707 |
10,308 |
2.0 |
|
| Berkshire East PCT |
552,695 |
564,146 |
11,451 |
2.1 |
|
| Gloucestershire PCT |
858,348 |
876,170 |
17,822 |
2.1 |
|
| Cambridgeshire PCT |
827,760 |
845,135 |
17,376 |
2.1 |
|
| West Essex PCT |
401,746 |
410,215 |
8,469 |
2.1 |
|
| South Gloucestershire PCT |
337,127 |
344,447 |
7,321 |
2.2 |
|
| Suffolk PCT |
894,754 |
914,905 |
20,151 |
2.3 |
|
| East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT |
523,146 |
535,373 |
12,228 |
2.3 |
|
| West Kent PCT |
979,855 |
1,003,072 |
23,217 |
2.4 |
|
| Mid Essex PCT |
504,893 |
517,027 |
12,134 |
2.4 |
|
| Hertfordshire PCT |
1,580,966 |
1,620,676 |
39,710 |
2.5 |
|
| Bath and North East Somerset PCT |
254,080 |
260,750 |
6,670 |
2.6 |
|
| Kingston PCT |
238,715 |
244,995 |
6,280 |
2.6 |
|
| Oxfordshire PCT |
834,186 |
856,236 |
22,050 |
2.6 |
|
| West Sussex PCT |
1,202,872 |
1,235,203 |
32,331 |
2.7 |
|
| Dorset PCT |
610,886 |
627,561 |
16,675 |
2.7 |
|
| Wiltshire PCT |
641,699 |
659,332 |
17,633 |
2.7 |
|
| Hampshire PCT |
1,811,303 |
1,863,354 |
52,050 |
2.9 |
|
| Bromley PCT |
460,892 |
474,201 |
13,309 |
2.9 |
|
| Berkshire West PCT |
616,447 |
634,407 |
17,960 |
2.9 |
|
| Buckinghamshire PCT |
673,976 |
698,513 |
24,537 |
3.6 |
|
| Richmond and Twickenham PCT |
234,717 |
243,677 |
8,960 |
3.8 |
|
| Kensington and Chelsea PCT |
285,613 |
296,800 |
11,187 |
3.9 |
|
| Surrey PCT |
1,477,334 |
1,538,711 |
61,377 |
4.2 |
|
| England |
84,996,081 |
84,996,081 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
| SHA | |||||
| North East SHA |
4,857,390 |
4,756,665 |
-100,725 |
-2.1 |
|
| North West SHA |
12,630,092 |
12,438,489 |
-191,603 |
-1.5 |
|
| Yorkshire and the Humber SHA |
8,866,143 |
8,778,827 |
-87,315 |
-1.0 |
|
| East Midlands SHA |
7,098,452 |
7,078,462 |
-19,991 |
-0.3 |
|
| West Midlands SHA |
9,138,964 |
9,082,381 |
-56,582 |
-0.6 |
|
| East of England SHA |
8,697,015 |
8,834,356 |
137,342 |
1.6 |
|
| London SHA |
13,146,060 |
13,104,418 |
-41,642 |
-0.3 |
|
| South East Coast SHA |
6,574,146 |
6,705,458 |
131,312 |
2.0 |
|
| South Central SHA |
5,831,764 |
5,955,692 |
123,928 |
2.1 |
|
| South West SHA |
8,156,058 |
8,261,334 |
105,276 |
1.3 |
|
| North |
42,591,040 |
42,134,824 |
-456,216 |
-1.1 |
|
| South |
42,405,042 |
42,861,258 |
456,216 |
1.1 |
Source: Public Health Manchester analysis of DH exposition book
Grahame Morris MP joins Age UK Lobby in Parliament against ‘moving the goal posts’ for state pension changes
Press Releases / May 18, 2011 / 2 Comments
500,000 women forced to wait more than a year for their pension
Age UK staged a lobby of Parliament to campaign against the acceleration of equalising and increasing the state pension age for men and women.
The Government’s plans to accelerate the state pension age increases mean that 500,000 women will have to wait for more than a year longer before receiving the state pension, leaving many women aged 56 and 57 feeling robbed.
300,000 women born between 6 December 1953 and 5 October 1954, will have to wait an extra 18 months, and an unlucky 33,000 born between 6 March 1954 and 5 April 1954 will have to wait an extra 2 years, before being entitled to their state pension.
The majority of these women will already be well underway in their plans for retirement, with many already working reduced hours in order to care for grandchildren or elderly parents. Yet they are now being forced to make significant changes to their financial plans, with just 5 years notice before the changes kick in.
The unlucky 33,000 born between 6 March 1954 and 5 April 1954 are set to lose around £10,000 in lost state pension or more than £15,000 if they get the full pension credit, with less than 7 years to attempt to accommodate the change.
Grahame Morris MP, said
“The Government’s plans to increase the state pension age disproportionately affects women, and 1,000 women in the Easington Constituency are being made to wait up to two years longer for their state pension.
“Many of these are women who have juggled working lives with raising a family, and who have very little retirement savings to fall back on.
“The lack of warning of these changes means they do not have enough time to adjust carefully thought-out retirement plans and leaves them feeling robbed of their pensions.
Labour’s Shadow Pensions Minister, Rachel Reeves MP said
“Despite the Coalition Agreement stating that they would not raise the state pension age for women before 2020, the government have taken another ‘u-turn’ on their policy and I will be fighting these changes every step of the way to ensure fairness for those approaching retirement feeling that the goalposts keep being moved.”
ENDS
Coalition plans to publish prescribing data would put patient confidentiality at risk for the benefit of pharmaceutical companies
Press Releases / April 26, 2011 / 1 Comment
Plans to publish patient prescribing data at practice level were subject to a consultation by the NHS Information Centre just two years ago. At that time the proposal was ruled to be inappropriate and not permitted.
However, two years on, the coalition has stated its aim to open up prescribing data for commercial use by pharmaceutical companies. The Plan for Growth, published by the coalition last month, reveals that the government “will look to publish practice level prescribing data subject to another evaluation and impact assessment by the NHS Information Centre” [para 2.200 Opening up prescribing data].
The Patients Association is amongst a number of health organisations which have serious concerns about the proposal. If implemented there would be a significant risk of misinterpretation and misuse of this raw and sensitive data. There is also wide concern over the potential damage to medical research which relies on pseudonymised patient databases.
The greatest concern will be for patient confidentiality which would be placed at significant risk for the sake of commercial gain by the pharmaceutical industry.
Grahame Morris MP at a blood donation service
Grahame Morris MP, Member of the Health Select Committee, commented:
“It seems there is nothing that cannot be commercialised or sold off in Andrew Lansley’s NHS.
“Selling off this most sensitive information would be a breach of trust with patients in the NHS. It would at best cause additional anxiety and worry for patients and at worst allow the identification of a patient’s personal prescription by the linkage of numerous databases.
“If Andrew Lansley allows this to go ahead, he will undeniably have put profits before patients. It is no way for the Secretary of State for Health to behave.
“Last month we heard about plans to privatise the National Blood Service. Where will the line be drawn between public services and private profit?”
NHS Reforms face new cross party criticism by Commons Health Select Committee
Press Releases / April 5, 2011 / Comment now
The Health Select Committee has today published a report on Commissioning in the NHS which calls for further significant changes to be made to Andrew Lansley’s Health and Social Care Bill currently going through Parliament.
The Committee’s Report calls for GP commissioning groups to become Commissioning Authorities which have greater clinical representation as well as democratically elected board members. It also criticises the lack of accountability for the proposed GP commissioning groups and calls for greater powers to hold commissioners to account.
The report also calls for an identifiable Chief Executive and Finance Director to be full board members of any Commissioning Authority as well as an independent Chair appointed by the NHS Commissioning Board.
Member of the Health Select Committee, Grahame Morris MP, said:
“It is significant that the committee, which has a Tory majority and a former Tory Health Secretary as Chairman, has called for such significant changes to be made to the government’s flagship NHS reforms.
“Labour members have worked hard to argue the case for a publicly funded publicly provided integrated NHS.
“I remain concerned about the role of Monitor as the new NHS economic regulator, the wholesale introduction of competition and the unrestricted access for private health companies that potentially could displace NHS providers.
“Although I welcome the committee’s strong critical response to government plans, the only option for David Cameron is to drop the Bill and seek a cross-part consensus for reform.
“The government’s reputation on the NHS has already been severely damaged and it is now time to respond to the sustained public outcry.
“Although the committee’s proposals would improve the Bill they do not change the fundamental failure of the Bill to protect the NHS from privatisation by stealth.”
