WHY am I surprised at the bosses of the mental health services not saying just what is going to happen to the patients and staff once St Luke’s Hospital closes?
Once again it just proves how mental health is still frowned upon. Do the bosses really care what happens? I think not.
Moving the services to either Halifax or Dewsbury should not be an option. Huddersfield is a big place and we need this vital service here in our own town.
I sometimes wish one of these bosses would find themselves needing the support of one of their wonderful mental health workers so they could see what is really like to suffer from this dreadful illness.
I am one of the lucky service users. I have the support of a wonderful community psychiatric nurse and psychologist. These ladies enable me to get from one day to the next.
The Trust needs to look at what a wonderful job their staff do day to day and take into account mental health sufferers’ feelings when making their decisions, along with the feelings of their staff.
People who work in mental health, in my opinion, have a gift. They are so kind and caring and a credit to their profession.
reader
Huddersfield
Losing a service
REGARDING St Luke’s, why is Huddersfield losing out to places like Dewsbury and Halifax?
We used to lead. We had the best town, the best facilities. Why would we want to go to Dewsbury if we are mentally ill?
The distinct lack of publicity is so no-one can object. Even if they did we wouldn’t be able to save it. Are the staff going to have to travel or be made redundant?
The patients are ill and unable to cope with the outside world so care in the community is not an option. Some are a danger to themselves and others – will they be put back in the community? Some are happy and love it there so it will severely disrupt their welfare.
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust – based in Dewsbury and Halifax?
a bamford
Almondbury
Tories set up Kirklees
PETER Fenton (Mailbag, February 10) is electioneering again. The Tory party is always complaining about Kirklees Council, but they never admit that they are responsible for the monstrosity.
The Labour Party had set up a committee to look into boundaries. Ted Heath’s Tory government ditched the findings when they came to power and Kirklees was born.
They also hope we have forgotten that they were in charge when they decided to tamper with St George’s Square again.
e smith
Honley
Dream politician
IT is going to be difficult to find a candidate to vote for at the next election.
I am looking for one that believes in bringing back hanging, especially for child murders.
One that believes all immigration should cease until this country is financially solvent and unemployment is virtually eradicated.
A candidate who tells the truth and actually believes what he preaches. Also one who believes that a referendum on Europe must take place, also British jobs for British workers. Why not? every other country looks after their own.
He or she must be above all fiddling of expenses and not be in politics just for the benefits they receive. Also one who believes that we have been dragged into an unwinnable war and an exit strategy must be found to prevent more fatalities.
What chance of finding such a person? Probably finding a three-legged chicken on the moon is more feasible!
dream on
Shelley
Bus lane goes wrong way
THE recent letters concerning the proposed bus lane on Manchester Road for outbound buses to save two minutes on journey times have all missed the major flaw in the council’s scheme.
If one checks the published timetables for the existing First bus services using this road, one finds that the inbound journeys already are scheduled to take much longer than outbound journey times.
Paddock takes six minutes outbound, 13 minutes inbound. Cowlersley, nine to 12 minutes outbound, 14 minutes inbound. Milnsbridge is eight minutes outbound, 15 minutes in.
These published timetables obviously tell potential passengers that the problem is inbound congestion and one only needs to see the queues of traffic inbound at Thornton Lodge or on Longroyd Lane to see where the problem is.
Yet the council’s scheme fails to address this problem. The town’s ring road was built to enable through traffic to avoid the town centre and at one time we had a bypass which linked the Colne and Holme Valley roads with Wakefield and Leeds Road.
This was planned at one time to be replaced by the Longroyd freeway linking the M62 with these other roads. But it was not built.
The new development in the waterfront quarter and the two proposed supermarkets on the ring road will cause even more congestion and pollution to the detriment of public transport and road traffic that needs to get to the other side of town from the Colne and Holme Valleys – not to it.
This bus lane is not the answer.
g lumb
Cowlersley
Search for answers
IF it would be ‘inappropriate’ for Huddersfield University’s migrant groups and travellers expert, Dr Matthews, to answer the simple questions I had asked about these groups, what would it be appropriate to ask her?
To whom can we now turn for objective information and enlightenment on this subject?
philip charlesworth
Waterloo
A qualified response
HUDDERSFIELD MP Barry Sheerman says in a radio interview that “teachers should have better qualifications these days in order to teach.’’
Could he possibly say what qualifications a person should have to become an MP? After the last couple of years it would appear that being economical with the truth is one of the qualities with which some MPs are imbued.
jack armitage
Crosland Moor
Really tough on crime
READING the article that Dennis Kilcommons wrote on Monday, February 15, about our very lenient justice system led me to agree entirely with his writings.
It would appear that this government has tried for years to brainwash the population with its rhetoric about being tough on crime and the causes of crime.
I would say that a lot of the leniency that is dished out is due to both the EU Human Rights Bill and the fact that there are too many MPs who started off as lawyers (including the past Prime Minister).
When Peter Sutcliffe killed 13 women he got 30 years in jail.
Last week I watched a programme from America about a man who killed 12 prostitutes and he was sentenced to 418 years with no hope of parole. Perhaps if we were to build a few more secure prisons then we may see a sentence that fits the crime.
Kagey
Linthwaite
‘Fantasy’ campus
AN outline planning application goes before Kirklees Planning Committee today to create employment by means of a fantasy ‘data campus’ development on Lindley Moor.
Reading the application reveals some interesting numbers.
Benefits are alleged for Lindley in particular (population 17,300) and north Kirklees as a whole (population 200,000).
The applicant claims to have undertaken a ‘comprehensive form of public consultation’ on the evidence of three emails to its website.
Allocation of the plot in the Unitary Development Plan case was made with a fanfare of 2,000-plus jobs for local people. The applicant speculates on 150 jobs created in phases over eight years with 90% of the workers commuting along the M62.
This would be an average of two local jobs per year, then?
Fortunately, our councillors have seen through the sham. The application is against the adopted strategy, against the interests of the community and contrary to good planning practice – three good reasons why it must surely fail.
Arthur Richmond
Salendine Nook
Poor decision
SO Kirklees Council approved the demolition of a Victorian schoolroom, the decision based on photographs.
That they were the wrong photographs should surprise and dismay the people of Kirklees. It doesn’t, though. We are too used to the council’s inadequacy. Brigid Shaw has my sympathy, not least because she retained the ability to be shocked by Kirklees Council’s failings. What of the planning department itself and the planning committee? They, of course, will continue to make decisions based on who knows what, but impact directly on the lives of the long suffering people of the district. I wonder if they ever get embarrassed.
Trevor Woolley
Linthwaite
