Maternity at the Alex

Andy Burnham MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary came to Redditch to listen to the concerns of Mums, NHS staff and Save the Alex over a cup of tea in Winyates. 

Having himself travelled from Worcester to Redditch, including road works on the M5 he could see that geography played a major role in our fight to keep services at the Alex.

Andy stated that he wants to know the impact upon surrounding hospitals if births are taken away from Redditch and that he was unconvinced that this was being done.  In his own area, there is a review of Greater Manchester hospitals and he said we deserved the same wider review in Redditch and to look only at taking services away from one hospital does not address the bigger picture.

In addition Andy restated that a Labour Government would repeal the Health and Social Care Bill brought in by this government that has seen an increased marketisation of the NHS which must be stopped.

In Redditch we have been battling to keep services at the Alex since it was announced in June 2012.

Despite it being well over two years since the review started and £1.3 million already having been wasted on the review, we are still to find out what services will remain at our hospital.

The latest turn of events was January when we learnt that A&E has been recommended to stay at the Alex and maternity, paediatrics and emergency surgery recommended to go to Worcester.  Since these proposals I have been speaking to parents and local people updating them on the latest recommendation - no more births at the Alex.  Like the majority of people I do not believe that this can work safely for mother and baby and I oppose cuts to maternity. 

I will continue to campaign long and hard with local people to keep births in Redditch.  

 

Andy listening to mums, NHS staff and Save the Alex in Winyates

Tackling Youth Homelessness

YMCA Sleep Easy in Church Hill - Friday 11th April

Nationally there has been an increase in youth homelessness and I was glad to join the group of around 40 people who were sleeping outside for the night to raise money for the YMCA.  They do great work, including providing accommodation for homeless young people and I'm sure all the money will be put to good use.  You can still donate to the YMCA through my JustGiving page.

Organisers did a good job to make the night as pleasant as possible with plenty of boxes available, games, music around the fire, hot drinks and food - a world away from what someone experiences sleeping out on the streets.

There were many young people taking part in the sleep out and good on them for the number of them taking the time to do it.  In Redditch we are lucky that we do not have a particular problem with people sleeping rough on our streets but that doesn't mean we do not have a homeless problem.  Homeless people are having to sleep on friends sofas - sofa surfing - and living out of cars and there are a number of reasons for this.

Youth unemployment With nearly 1 million young people unemployed, many of which have become long-term unemployed how can they afford a roof over their head?  Labour want to guarantee 18-24 year olds, unemployed for longer than a year, a compulsory paid 6 month job.    

Cutting housing benefit for under 25's Many are working but on low wages.  Labour say incentivising employers who are not paying the living wage to do so would be a better way to help working people afford the cost of living.  The government suggest young people simply go back to mum and dad - a gross lack of understanding of why young people may have moved out or become homeless.  More often than not its family breakdown and returning home may be impossible.

Shortage of affordable housing In one week this month there were 324 bids made for just 5 affordable properties in Redditch and that is not an unusual figure.  Too many people cannot afford private rent or cannot afford to buy their own property.  I support the need for more housing and more affordable homes in particular.  Previous Labour governments did not do enough on this issue and if elected next year I will work to deliver the Labour Party promise of 200,000 homes a year for the life of the next parliament.  Despite house building being lower than at any point during peacetime Britain the Conservative led government are building way fewer homes than they claim read more

I want a government that helps everyone to have the best life possible and therefore affordable, quality housing in Redditch is one of my key priorities.

 

 

 

Rebecca, Harry, Rhys, Josh & Boon
helping to highlight the problem of homelessness

Rebecca pledges to tackle 'Cost of Childcare Crisis' for working families

Labour's plan for primary childcare guarantee and extension of free nursery hours to 3 and 4 year olds for working families

Rebecca said: “Families in Redditch are facing a cost of living crisis of David Cameron’s making. Whilst millionaires are getting tax breaks people here are suffering.

“Childcare is a key cause of the cost of living crisis for working parents and I’m pleased Labour has pledged to introduce these policies to make a difference to hard pressed mums and dads. A Primary Guarantee will make arranging quality before and after school care easier, and extending the free childcare offer from 15 to 25 hours will be worth over £1500 for parents of three and four year olds to help them pay their childcare bills”. 

Karen, mum of two from Church Hill said "I'm lucky because my mum and dad have the kids when I'm at work.  I can see why people do give up work though because of the cost.  When you're working just to cover the childcare costs and not having much left at the end of it, what's the point?  I think a lot of people would benefit from an increase in free childcare".

 Rebecca backs Labour’s plans to help working families cope with the rising cost of childcare.  Working people are £1600 worse off since the Conservative led government took over running the country.

Childcare is a huge expense for working parents, with families in Redditch  paying an average of £100 per week for 25 hours childcare. For some families this can be as much as having a second mortgage and can be a major barrier to getting into work and making ends meet.  

 

The government are not doing enough to help hard-working families in Redditch and I back Labour’s plans to guarantee wrap around childcare before and after school for primary school-aged children. This move will benefit around 5500 children and their families.

The next Labour government will also provide ten extra hours free childcare provision for working parents of three and four year olds, paid for by an increase in the Bank levy. This could help the parents of 4600 children across the County.

 

 

 

Mourning Tragic Loss of Life

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Richard Fellows, a young man who tragically lost his life having drowned in open water.  It's a devastating tragedy.  

Once again, I will be meeting council officers today to progress my concerns and work on what more can be done to reduce the risk of people entering open water.

Redditch Council, the Police, Fire Service and other partners will continue to work together, in particular to reach as many young people and make sure they know just how dangerous open water can be. 

While there is much to do, so soon after the loss, we pause to mourn Richard's tragic loss of life.

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A vote against the Alex

When Mrs Lumley the Redditch MP voted yesterday to give the secretary of state the power to close hospitals within 40 days, she put her party before the needs of Redditch people.  Local people have been in touch with me already about this and many more of them will be appalled to wake up to this news. 

For the past couple of years A&E, maternity and the future of our hospital have been under threat to save money.  It has been a long hard slog to defend services and we are still fighting for consultant led births.  Yet Mrs Lumley has pulled the rug from under local people and local doctors having a real say in the future of the Alex. 

To vote to support hospital closures is unbelievable.  It should be as straightforward as ABC, at every opportunity the MP should fight for our local hospital and in choosing not to she has failed the people of this town. 

Let's not forget the reason we are here is because the government wanted to close Lewisham Hospital, a thriving hospital and the courts would not allow them.  And because the government couldn't close the hospital legally, it changed the law - they didn't like the rule book and so they have just re-written it.

The government have specifically said their new power will only be used if lives were at risk or a trust had failed financially.  Given that Worcestershire Acute Trust will be £12 million in debt this year, along with over 30 other Trusts across the country, the future of the Alex has been further undermined by the actions of the Conservative government and the MP for Redditch in yesterday's vote in Parliament.

Ultimately members of parliament can give as many verbal assurances as they like, we the voters will judge them by their actions.  And when the Redditch MP, Karen Lumley voted for the hospital closure clause it was a vote against the Alex. 

A Labour government would repeal this law.

Redditch MP should vote against Hospital Closure Clause

Rebecca Blake, Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson said "I am disappointed that the Redditch MP still claims to remain open minded about how she will vote today on the hospital closure clause that will put the Alex at risk of closure.  I have written to Mrs Lumley, requesting she vote against measures that would make it easier for the government to close our hospital.

 

"Local people have proven in overwhelming numbers, how much they care about the Alex and services remaining.  Redditch needs an MP willing to fight for our hospital and for the good of this town I hope she votes against.  If I was the Member of Parliament for Redditch, asked to vote on a bill that would put the Alex in danger of closure, I know how I would vote.  I would vote against without hesitation". 

International Women's Day 2014

 

Lesley, Meena, Nayab, Rachel, Monica, Rebecca, Pat, Sandi, Joan, Margaret, Chris & Hannah

 

In celebration of International Women's Day on Saturday 8th March, Rebecca Blake, Labour's Parliamentary Spokesperson for Redditch took a group of eleven women to London for a tour of Parliament.

Rebecca said "International Women's Day is a perfect excuse to bring local women together, learn more about our democracy and discuss relevant issues facing women.

Given most people are not aware that they can visit Parliament and have a free tour of the Palace of Westminster, it's important to me that our seemingly inaccessible institutions are made more accessible to local people. 

The first time I took a group of women for IWD I received great feedback and was delighted to repeat the trip with another group of local women.  I was especially pleased that for one woman it was her first visit to London.  Rachael Smith from Batchley commented "Our trip to Parliament is one trip I will remember for a lifetime, it was interesting and insightful".

"After the tour we had a chance to discuss relevant issues facing women, some of which women face disproportionately to our male counterparts" said Rebecca.  "Including the pay gap between men and women, domestic violence which tragically still results in two women a week killed at the hands of their partner or ex partner and the disproportionate effects upon women associated with the rising cost of living.  As well as raising issues affecting women, IWD is a good time to commend women who are very often the people who are holding families and communities together".

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