City and Sandwell General Hospitals: What's happening

Last night, I attended a public meeting at Ladywood Arts & Leisure Centre, discussing the changes at City Hospital and Sandwell General Hospital. Neither is in Ladywood ward, but we're reliant on these hospitals providing a good service.

It's fair to say that the meeting wasn't well attended; this goes for the Ladywood Labour councillors too, none of whom was there.

You can find full details of the proposals at http://www.towards2010swb.nhs.uk/. In summary:

• Concentrate inpatient planned general, orthopaedic and some other surgery at City.


• Concentrate inpatient emergency general/trauma and inpatient lower bowel surgery at Sandwell.


• Create a PDU (Paediatric Assessment Unit) at City.


• Concentrate children's overnight stays at Sandwell.


• Level 1 neonatal unit at Sandwell.


• Level 2 neonatal unit for younger, sicker babies at City.

I asked a question about recruitment of nursing, medical and other staff from developing countries - I don't think we should be depriving these countries of this essential resource, and we should be capable enough of providing our own. I was told that there is no barrier to recruiting anyone from any country. Strange, because I thought that the Labour government had announced a moratorium on recruitment from developing countries. Can anyone shed any light on this?

New con trick in Birmingham city centre

I've just received this email from West Midlands Police that I thought I'd share with you:

Police in central Birmingham would like to take this opportunity to advise you about a new trend whereby pairs of young people, both male and female, are approaching people with clip boards or pieces of paper and allege that they are collecting sponsorship, donations or conducting a survey. These groups speak to and distract victims whilst they are stealing their valuables, sometimes by covering the victim’s property with the clip board or magazine and stealing valuables from underneath.

Some of these offences have been occurring in cafes and pubs.

We ask you to be aware of the security of your belongings. If you have any information or concerns please call Steelhouse Lane police station on 0845 113 5000. Or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
In an emergency please call 999.

Jewellery Quarter competition

Are you a Jewellery Quarter jeweller? Fancy making a name for yourself?

30 years ago this year, Lord (then Sebastian) Coe won his first major title: the 800 metres at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Spain. Birmingham City Council’s Creative Industries Team is looking for someone to produce a gift for Lord Coe to commemorate his arrival on the international scene, to be presented when he attends this year's Championships at Birmingham's NIA.

There's a £500 prize up for grabs, plus a further £500 for production costs.

The deadline to submit your design is 26 January, with production in February. For further information, contact Shasta Rashid: shasta.rashid@birmingham.gov.uk / 0121 303 2462.

P.S. Prize if anyone can correctly identify the attached trophy...

Ladywood Ward Committee

The next meeting of the Ladywood Ward Committee will take place on Saturday 10th February at St. John's and St Peter's Church, Darnley Road, B16 8TF (http://tinyurl.com/yj7l4x). No further details as yet, including time. Will let you know when I know!

Today's agenda

Sorry things have been a little slow on here over the last couple of weeks - Christmas happened, then I was on holiday over New Year. It turns out that there wasn't a computer at the top of the mountain where I was. Had a great time though, and I'm raring to take on Labour in May.

Today, I'll be out and about round Ladywood taking the photos for this month's leaflet. I'm tempted to go on the offensive regarding Labour's recent activities in the area: this year's candidate Albert Bore has recently been appointed Chair of University Hospital Birmingham by a four-person panel which was selected by a former Labour Councillor and contained another former Labour councillor, a current Labour Councillor and a known Labour supporter. This additional workload is bound to affect how much time he can give to the people of Ladywood.

There also seem to be some strange goings-on in Ladywood's Constituency Labour Party. Elaina Cohen, a defector from the Conservatives, has recently taken up an official position and looks to be manoeuvring to be Labour's next Parliamentary Candidate after Clare Short goes...

(Thanks to Duncan Borrowman for the image.)