I HAVE recently had a stay in HRI due to pneumonia.
First I was admitted to the medical assessment Ward 1 where I had to stay for a few days until a bed on respiratory ward could be found. I would like to say a big thank you to all the staff there.
I was finally found a bed on Ward 11 as there were no available beds on the respiratory ward. The staff were fantastic, from the cleaning staff right up to the nursing staff who made each patient feel like they were the only ones there.
When I found out that they were closing the ward I was amazed, because every bed in there was full and the staff were extremely busy.
I find it very odd that I can be on a medical assessment ward for days because there is a shortage of beds, yet they are closing the wards.
When I first went into hospital I was in a room with four other women, two of whom had been previously sent home a little too soon I fear, as they had to be re-admitted. Is this really cost cutting?
If they close Ward 11 they are putting lives at risk.
Alison Ainley
Huddersfield
‘Turbine jungle’ cleared
MY comments in the article ‘turbine jungle fears’ (Examiner, October 12) have been taken out of context.
I want to make it quite clear that I have no objection in principle to small wind turbines and I consider each application on its own merits.
What I have said is that the companies who are selling to farmers and others must give better advice on where to site the turbines.
Proper consideration should be given to their proximity to neighbouring properties in accordance with local development plans.
There have been a number of applications submitted recently which have contained supporting information that was not specific to the application site.
I have spoken to some of the companies at agricultural shows over the summer and they tell me that they are trained to submit site specific planning applications, to take account of the distance to neighbouring properties and to try to find a site which is not prominent on the landscape.
They admit that this does not always happen, but it should do.
In order to avoid wasting officer time and causing unnecessary upset with the owners of neighbouring dwellings I would urge these companies to take more care to provide better advice to their clients, and to submit detailed site specific planning applications using data relevant to the site.
I recognise the value of the small turbines to farmers and others. When sited properly there is no problem. Unlike the big turbines, they are sustainable and don’t rely on government subsidy.
Clr Nigel Patrick
Conservative Councillor Holme Valley South
Question of priorities
BEFORE anyone gets taken in by the wringing of hands of the ruling Kirklees Labour group, remember that it was the Labour government who were planning most of the cuts now being made by the Coalition.
Was it not the Labour Group that announced 1,500 job cuts to come in Kirklees last year?ŠAnd was it not aŠLabour government that chickened out of specifying where the axe would fall in their budget deficit plan?
It should also be wise to remember where the Kirklees Labour group’s priorities lie. The expenditure on an ice rink and on a magazine with the leader’s picture hasŠ been given precedence over people’s jobs.
Subsidising potential Torvills and Deans and party propaganda before helping vulnerable children – who takes responsibility for that?
Bernard McGuin
Marsh
Sense prevails
I AM writing to thank readers for taking part in our ‘Count Epilepsy Out’ campaign earlier this year, which highlighted the potential dangers of prescribing generic anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) to people with epilepsy.
The Government has just announced that it will not be making generic substitutions of NHS prescription drugs compulsory – a move that has delighted the National Society for Epilepsy and is good news for anyone with the condition.
Cutting costs by swapping a branded AED to a cheaper generic version of the same drug could provoke seizures or side effects and actually end up costing the Government more money than it saves.
Just one breakthrough seizure, which is when someone whose seizures are usually controlled by epilepsy drugs has an unexpected seizure, is devastating for the individual and may cause serious injury and harm, rob someone of their driving licence and affect their job.
Support from local people on this issue was vital, with many sending campaign postcards and letters to the Minister of State for Health highlighting the fact that changing drugs could provoke seizures or side effects. Their support has contributed to the Government’s rejection of the scheme.
It is a relief to see that patient safety and common sense have prevailed on this occasion. The National Society for Epilepsy will be keeping a close eye on any future plans for cost cutting of drugs to ensure that people with epilepsy are fully protected.
If you would like further information please visit our website www.epilepsysociety.org.uk .
Once again, I thank your readers for their help and hope they will continue to support us on issues which matter to the 465,000 people in this country who have epilepsy.
Angie King
National Society for Epilepsy
Reviewing dangers
AS Yorkshire and Humber’s voice for the voluntary and community sector, we are concerned that the Comprehensive Spending Review will disproportionately affect people and communities across our region due to our greater reliance on the public sector.
Yorkshire’s voluntary and community organisations play a huge and diverse role in delivering public services and supporting communities, and these cuts will produce a ‘double whammy’ by increasing the demand for these services whilst voluntary sector resources are hit.
The 25% cut to local authority budgets over the next four years will result in a similar level of cuts to voluntary organisations that deliver vital services.
In theory, the Government’s flagship Big Society policy offers fantastic opportunities for communities and the voluntary and community sector, but we have to seriously question how the Big Society will be delivered without a strong and stable voluntary sector.
Like many others, we will be closely following the emerging detail of the CSR and hope that our fears are not realised.
Alison Haskins
Deputy Director, Yorkshire and the Humber Forum
Up in the air
NOW come on, HMS of Lepton (Mailbag, October 21)! Surely the cost of a cable car is a small price to pay for the only pothole-free journey to be had in the Huddersfield area?
Alan Starr
Golcar
Going to the dogs
Good news for the people of Calderdale (‘Waste crackdown,’ Examiner, October 19). If only Kirklees Council would follow suit and get to grips with litter, graffiti and more importantly, dog muck then we might be getting somewhere.
As things stand several of Huddersfield’s surrounding villages seem to be vying for the title of ‘Dog Muck Capital Of Yorkshire’, including my own village of New Mill which is especially rich with such deposits.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not anti-dog, being a proud Labrador owner myself, but I never leave the house without a handful of nappy sacks with which to scoop up any offerings.
They are not expensive, costing about 10/50p for a pack of 100 from many supermarkets.
Maybe if a few inconsiderate owners were prosecuted and their details highlighted, then the problem would improve.
Besides, in these financially troubled times, the money generated by dog fouling fines would surely be a welcome addition to council coffers?
Andrew Harrison
New Mill
A happy 90th
MR LESLIE Robinson would like to thank all those dear friends and acquaintances for their birthday cards and good wishes, sent and expressed on his 90th birthday last weekend.
He wants to add that it is their friendship and goodwill that have made those 90 years to be so pleasantly spent.
Gemma Robinson
Huddersfield Š
