Letters - October 18, 2017
I have been coming to Blackpool every year for the last 55 years.
I first came as a young teen with my parents, then with my own family, then with grandchildren and now my son brings me, as I am disabled.
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Hide AdI am disgusted with the amount of dog mess all over the town, especially by the sea front where most of the visitors are. I either walk with crutches, or on my mobility scooter and find the amount of mess in some areas very bad.
I have a German Shepherd, who I bring with us, and I struggle out of my scooter to clean up behind my dog.
Blackpool has gone down hill so much over the years and I am very sad to see it. I loved the town and had so many lovely memories. But this year totally disgusted me and I really didn’t like being there.
I was followed and kept being asked for money by beggars. I had to struggle to get away from these people. Then there were the hen and stag parties, totally drunk during the day, as well as night, urinating and vomiting in the street.
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Hide AdI even had one girl land in my lap as she couldn’t walk past me as she was so drunk.
I wouldn’t recommend Blackpool to anyone these days.
It certainly is not the great family holiday place it used to be.
Susan Alexander
Wiltshire
RETRO
No school milk after nuclear fire disaster
I’ve just been reading your article on the website about the 1957 incident at Sellafield (then called Windscale).
At the time I was only nine years old and a pupil at Stanley Junior School on Wordsworth Avenue, Marton. I don’t recall the actual incident but at the time we used to be given a small bottle of milk (one third of a pint) at morning break. Nobody told us why but for a short period (presumably when the ban on milk sales applied) we were given milky tablets (could have been Ovaltine or Horlicks) instead.
David Bond
Via email
HEALTH
Good news but more needs to be done
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Hide AdGeneral practice is facing unprecedented pressure from rising workload, stagnating budgets and a workforce crisis that has left many parts of the country without enough GPs to treat patients.
New proposals do appear to acknowledge the specific problems facing rural areas in England, but “golden hellos” are not a new idea and unlikely to solve the overall workforce crisis given we are failing badly to train enough GPs to meet demands.
There is already an incentive programme for “hard to recruit areas” that has been operating since 2016 and it is not clear whether this new announcement, which comes without any real details, is any different from that scheme.
There are also many other areas of the country, including urban areas, that are also suffering from GP shortages.
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Hide AdA recent BMA survey found that one in three practices nationwide had vacancies that they were unable to fill after 12 months.
The Government is not on course to reach its target of 5,000 extra GPs by 2020.
We need the Government to commit to a long-term plan that gives general practice the resources it needs to deliver the service patients deserve.
On indemnity, it is encouraging that the Secretary of State has recognised this unacceptable financial burden being placed on GPs. Average indemnity costs have risen by more than 50 per cent between 2010 and 2016.
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Hide AdThere is clear evidence from a recent NHS England survey that this is reducing GPs’ willingness to work.
It is vital every GP has this form of insurance, but they should not be expected to be in a system where they are facing inflated yearly increases.
The commitment to provide state-backed indemnity cover is a particularly welcome step after the talks the Government has being having directly with the British Medical Association over the summer.
We do, however, need more detail on the financing of this scheme and it must cover all GPs.
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Hide AdIt is also important we make progress quickly and deliver real change.
Dr Richard Vautrey
BMA
FOOD
Compromise and choice
Re: Halal debate. A compromise would be a choice of non-halal (humane stunned slaughter, no prayers) for non-Muslims and stunned halal (humane stunned slaughter with prayers) for Muslims.
Teddy
via email
POLITICS
Better to have been ruthless with May
If the Conservative Party had adopted its usual policy of ruthlessly ditching leaders who failed, they would have ditched Theresa May after her election campaign. And they would probably be in a stronger position.
Pat Logan
Via email