Letters - July 12, 2016

HEALTHIt's only fair to praise the staffAs I was born into a struggling working class family, whose father had periods of illness, I recall the delight of my parents at the inception of the National Health Service.
Picture by Julian Brown 21/01/16

GV view of ambulances at the A & E Dept at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

NB Picture taken from the pavementPicture by Julian Brown 21/01/16

GV view of ambulances at the A & E Dept at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

NB Picture taken from the pavement
Picture by Julian Brown 21/01/16 GV view of ambulances at the A & E Dept at Blackpool Victoria Hospital NB Picture taken from the pavement

During the majority of the years since that time the service appears to have been adequately funded and has been the saviour of millions of its patients. However, in recent times we have been made aware of a number of instances of public dissatisfaction with the organisation causing me, and many others, some concern.

No doubt the problems are due to our ageing population and the wide spectrum of conditions treated.

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I feel it only fair to the NHS and Blackpool Victoria Hospital to say that my recent 12-day stay in the orthopaedic ward of the hospital for treatment of a broken hip has proved to me that some areas of the organisation continue to provide excellent service.

All the elements were exemplary, from the moment I was welcomed into the orthopaedic ward, the quickly arranged operation, the care of the nursing staff, occupational therapists, nothing was too much trouble.

Since my discharge I have been delighted by the help given to me by the early support discharge team and the consultants, who are doing everything in their power to bring my life to normality.

Brian Sykes

Carleton Way

Poulton

TRANSPORT

Is bus display day to avoid questions?

What a daft day to display the new fleet of ‘Palladium’ double deckers, this Thursday in St John’s Square, when commuters using Blackpool Transport on a regular basis will, more than likely, not be able to see them because we’re at work and the chances of any of us making a special visit after work are very slim, when all we want to do is get home.

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The majority who will see the display will be non-commuters and holiday makers, so no complaints or valid questions there.

However, the odd Palladium bus has been on the service 7 route (what’s this number 9 service? never heard of it) and they’re a breath of fresh air, as opposed to the rattling older single and double deckers with seats so low you’re practically sitting on the floor and extremely uncomfortable for anyone with long legs and bad backs!

The display of buses would have been better suited to a Saturday, when many commuters are off work, but that would be the sensible thing to do but hey, bring on the new buses on the number 7 route and get rid of those charabancs please!

Clifford Chambers

Ashton Road

Blackpool

POLITICS

The working class will rise in revolt

I write regarding the feature headlined “Unpaid overtime saving NW business £2.7 billion a year, meaning we all work for nothing for 38 days” (Gazette, June 30).

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The other day the national research centre said 82 per cent of people consider themselves working class, and believe the difference between the have and have-nots is increasing at a stark rate.

If truth be told, after years of Tory-led governments, austerity has been exposed for what it is, a redistribution of wealth from the poorest into the pockets of the rich.

This government’s legacy will be just that.

People are fed up with being told they must tighten their belts while corporations avoid tax and the banks have massive bonuses. Philip Green risks pensions and jobs belonging to other people for his own gain. Public opinion, thankfully, is turning against this government. To be fair, though, last week Her Majesty got a £2.8m pay rise, a bit insulting when millions are worried about their future.

Whoever the Tories end up electing leader, they will represent a continuation of austerity tomorrow and the next day and the day after, until we dump the government and all this working class anger and revolt transforms into a working class revolution.

Royston Jones

Beryl Avenue

Anchorsholme

SPENDING

No thought goes in to spending decisions

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No money for grass cutting or dustbin emptying. No money for libraries or old people’s homes. No money for a myriad necessary things, yet plenty of money for street furniture.

On arriving home yesterday, the lamp-post outside our house had been adorned with a double 20mph sign.

So what, you may think! Well my road, and many of the others nearby which have been similarly adorned, are short cul-de-sacs, several with a rail line at the end of them. We would be lucky to get to 20mph getting in or out of the road at the best of times.

Add to that that the road that leads to the entrance of our road is full of potholes and I defy anyone to be able to attain the grand old speed of 20mph at the best of times.

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How much is it costing for all these signs? Why cannot just one suffice on the left-hand side of the road (the side on which we drive) or on the left at each end of a road if it is a through road? Why not one prominently placed sign saying all roads in this zone 20mph, hence saving taxpayers’ money and lessening the cost and clutter?

Who decides to spend so wastefully? Do they look at where they are thinking of siting them? We have a school close by, so we are already blazoned with signs for speed etc. Why more?

There are some places warning signs are necessary and needed, but surely not side avenues, cul-de-sacs or dead ends!

Would the savings that could accrue not be put to better use by spending on resurfacing roads & pavements?

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The sign being outside my house is not NIMBY. It brightens up the lamp-post. It is just annoyance at the lack of thought as to what money gets spent on, to the detriment of other far more deserving projects having to be being cut back.

C Cross

via email