Martin Redston: Why one law for SNP's Margaret Ferrier and another for Tories' Dominic Cummings over Covid breaches?

Local resident Martin Redston, despite setbacks in the courts, is continuing his battle to hold Dominic Cummings to account over his breach of Covid restrictions last year. It was a breach  that many see as the catalyst for the public's loss of confidence in government advice and the subsequent increase in contagion.

In the latest message to supporters Redstone says:

Well what a surprise, Margaret Ferrier,  MP for the SNP is going to be prosecuted  LINK  whilst Dominic Cummings, Private Citizen protected by Prime Minister Johnson is going to get away with his lockdown breach escape to Durham scot free! 

When we wrote to the Metropolitan Police back in August they responded with the letter enclosed below.  In particular in para's 2 and 3 they state:

....I can confirm that an assessment has been made of all the information available and there will be no Metropolitan Police investigation at this time. 

Where the Metropolitan Police Service (‘MPS’) receives allegations of breaches of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions)(England) Regulations 2020, the MPS focuses on those that are live or ongoing where police action can enable a change to behaviour that is posing a current public health risk.   

So what exactly is the difference in dealing with the way that Police forces deal with these two high profile public figures? 

We can't give up now.

 

A few days ago Martin Redston, who has raised £46,000 for his court action LINK.  sent an update to supporters of his action outlining the present situation:

We have received notification from the Appeal Court that they have not granted me permission to proceed. I enclose the ruling for reference. Having discussed this with our legal team, who have researched the subject, we can only concede that there seems to be no further formal proceeding we can take to persuade the DPP to take action along with the Metropolitan Police.

In the ruling, the Judge, Lord Justice Dingemans decided this was not a case to allow the appeal because there has now been referral to the Metropolitan police to request an investigation that may provide an alternate remedy for the rule of law. We must hope the Met conducts a thorough investigation now on the movements in London when Cummings commenced his journey and, indeed before that time when he visited his office whilst likely to be infected; and does not suffer the same failings of the report by Durham Police which found an offence in Durham but failed to refer that offence to the DPP. If following the Met investigation no action is taken then a possible challenge to that will fall to be considered. However I am pleased that the court accepted jurisdiction which is important for other cases and a small but significant gain and the rule of law point was recognised    

I am now consulting with my legal team about possible ways forward, the challenge for an ordinary citizen to take action against a miscreant bearing in mind that the Covid emergency legislation seems to preclude this pathway.

Much of Public opinion and the Press is still accusing Cummings of breaking the trust of the public and undermining good governance. Even now after all these months it is reported that  200 British skiers in Verbiers scarpered in the night to avoid quarantine as ordered by Swiss authorities. But it remains that no action has been taken by the authorities over Cummings' main breach at the start in London which has set the tone ......not just his action and public mea culpa, but the turning of a blind eye by the key police authority and public prosecutor.

I am now consulting with my legal team about possible ways forward, the challenge for an ordinary citizen to take action against a miscreant bearing in mind that the Covid emergency legislation seems to preclude this pathway.   

We are not giving up just yet. Any ideas that you may have will be gratefully received, especially if you feel that you have been affected by Cummings' actions back in March..

Safe schools support grows: two on-line meetings tonight

 

Green Party Trade Union Group gets behind NEU decision to advocate on-line learning for all but vulnerable and keyworker primary children

 

Vix Lowthian, a secondary school teacher, parent, NEU member and the Green Party's Spokesperson on Education  spoke at a Green Party Trade Union meeting yesterday on 'Covid, Schools and School Workers.' 

At the beginning of the meeting she was completing the signing off of  a press release backing the National Education Union's decision to advise members to not work in full classes due to the rise in Covid cases but instead teach on-line or in the small bubbles formed for chidlren of key workers and vulnerable pupils.

In Brent and the rest of London primary schools are closed to all but vulnerable and key worker children,  and teaching moved on-line. Tonight decisions are still bing made by individual schools, headteacher and local authortiies in other parts of the country.

The video gives a full acount of the issues involved.

 

Green Party backs teachers’ urgent call to close schools and move learning online

 

Vix Lowthian, teacher, NEU member and Green Party Spokesperson on Education

 

The Green Party has backed calls from teaching unions to take steps to protect the safety of staff and students by moving to online learning from Monday in order to reduce the spread of infection of the new coronavirus variant.

The move comes as Green Party-led Brighton & Hove City Council has written to primary schools in the city to advise them to move to remote learning until Monday 18 January.

Green Party education spokesperson Vix Lowthion, a secondary school teacher on the Isle of Wight, said:

It is right that schools should only reopen when it is safe to do so and that cannot be the case with new-variant Covid spreading out of control. We fully support those unions who wish to remind staff of their legal rights not to work in an unsafe environment. Gavin Williamson needs to change his position on the reopening of primary schools urgently.

If the government had provided disadvantaged students with what they needed in terms of laptops and connectivity earlier in the year, it would have made it much easier for all concerned to carry out learning from home now. This oversight must be rectified as soon as possible so that access to education is maintained to the best possible standards while ensuring safety for all.

This is an extremely difficult time for parents, teachers and children and young people and so the government must listen carefully to the experts and trust teachers when they say it is not safe. This crisis is not going away any time soon. Teachers must be supported to deliver planned, high quality and sustainable learning within an environment which prioritises the health of the community.

For once, we hope the government will stick to its own mantra and actually follow the science to protect communities and families across the country.

The Green Party has also repeated its call for all frontline workers, including teachers, to be prioritised for vaccination. 

 

Dawn Butler joins Labour activists and trade unionists in call for the Labour Party to support closure of schools to curb new Covid virus strain

 OPEN LETTER

Dear Kate Green, Wes Streeting, Keir Starmer & Angela Rayner,

 

The Labour Party was founded and exists to represent working people. Millions of people are now living under Tier 3 or 4 restrictions, in areas where coronavirus cases are either high or very high. We understand that the new strain which has been discovered may be more easily transmissible, but we still do not understand enough about the health impact on different age groups.

 

From the start of this crisis, the Government have failed to provide schools with the adequate resources to enable proper physical distancing, so to say they are safe environments is simply not true. It is now widely accepted that the virus is readily transmitted from children to adults. In the absence of mass testing it is impossible to know those children who are healthy from those who are asymptomatic carriers. 

 

Parents, children, teaching assistants, teachers, caretakers, lunchtime assistants, and office staff are looking to us, the Labour Party, to speak up for them, and to hold this Government to account and to press them to do the right thing. We support the position of the National Education Union. We want you to do the same. 

 

Schools should not re-open on the 4th January save for the children of key workers and vulnerable children. This is about the lives and safety of working people, children and the safety of our communities. Nothing should ever come before that. 

 

Do the right thing. 

 

Yours Sincerely,

Laura Pidcock (Labour NEC)

Nadia Jama (Labour NEC)

Mish Rahman (Labour NEC)

Gemma Bolton (Labour NEC)

Yasmine Dar (Labour NEC)

Ellen Morrison (Labour NEC)

Howard Beckett (Labour NEC)

Ian Murray (Labour NEC)

Andi Fox (Labour NEC)

Len McCluskey (General Secretary, Unite the Union)

Dave Ward (General Secretary, CWU)

Matt Wrack (General Secretary, FBU)

Manuel Cortes (General Secretary, TSSA)

Sarah Woolley (General Secretary, BFAWU)

Andy Kerr (Deputy General Secretary, CWU)

Mick Whelan (General Secretary, ASLEF)

Ronan Burtenshaw (Editor, Tribune)

Jamie Driscoll (Mayor, North of Tyne)

Ian Byrne (MP for West Derby)

Jon Trickett (MP for Hemsworth)

Ian Mearns (MP for Gateshead)

Ian Lavery (MP for Wansbeck)

Richard Burgon (MP for Leeds East)

Kate Osborne (MP for Jarrow)

Claudia Webbe (MP for Leicester East)

Bell Ribeiro Addy (MP for Streatham)

Grahame Morris (MP for Easington)

John McDonnell (MP for Hayes & Harlington)

Dawn Butler (MP for Brent Central)

Zarah Sultana (MP for Coventry South)

Jeremy Corbyn (MP for Islington North)

Rebecca Long Bailey (MP for Salford & Eccles)

Apsana Begum (MP for Poplar and Limehouse)

Nadia Whittome (MP for Nottingham East)

Mary Kelly Foy (MP for City of Durham)

Lloyd Russell Moyle (MP for Brighton Kemptown)

Tahir Ali (MP for Birmingham Hall Green)

Paula Barker (MP for Wavertree)

Rachel Hopkins (MP for Luton South)

Olivia Blake (MP for Sheffield Hallam)

John Hendy (House of Lords)

Christine Blower (House of Lords)

Katy Clark (House of Lords)

Councillor Laura Smith

Councillor Liam Lavery

Red Labour

Don’t Leave, Organise (DLO)

Labour Representation Committee (LRC)

Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL)

Momentum

Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD)

Socialist Campaign Group of Labour Councillors

Labour Assembly Against Austerity

NEU calls for all primary schools in England to move learning online & informs members of their legal right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions

 From the National Education Union

The National Education Union is calling upon Government to move learning online in all primary schools including primary special schools in England for at least 2 weeks and issuing advice to all members informing them of their legal rights not to have to work in an unsafe environment.   

Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: 

"The National Education Union knows that the science suggests that to get infection rates down schools should not be open in the first two weeks of January.   

'The reports from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine from the 23rd of December, the Sage papers dated 22nd of December but released on 31st of December or the report from Imperial College on the 31st of December - all have the same message - that it will not be possible with the new variant to get R below one without at least a period of school closure.   

'Cases were rising rapidly amongst school age children at the end of last term and they were the highest rates of any demographics. These children live as part of families and in communities and they can spread the infection into their families and into the wider community.   

'There is scientific concern that the new variant might be more prevalent amongst younger people than the previous variants.   

'We are calling on Gavin Williamson to actually do what he professes he does – to follow the science and announce, now, that primary schools in England should move learning online - apart from key worker and vulnerable children for at least the first two weeks of January.   

'It is not good enough to always be behind the curve, playing catch up with new strains of COVID, seeing hospital admissions rise and cases numbers spiral out of control.   

'Whilst we are calling on the Government to take the right steps as a responsible Union we cannot simply agree that the Government’s wrong steps should be implemented.   

'That is why we are doing our job as a union by informing our members that they have a legal right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions which are a danger to their health and to the health of their school communities and more generally. 

We are informing our members of their legal right to protection to be guided by the science. In order for viral levels in children and in the community to decrease to below R1 primary schools should not open in the first weeks of January. We will be informing our members that they have the right to work in safe conditions which do not endanger their health. This means that they can be available to work from home and to work with key worker and vulnerable children but not available to take full classes from Monday, the 4th of January.   

'We realise that this late notice is a huge inconvenience for parents and for head teachers. The fault, however, is of the Government’s own making and is a result of their inability to understand data, their indecisiveness and their reckless approach to their central duty – to safeguard public health. 

'Education is really, really important but you’re not going to get that education if this virus gets out of control in the community as schools will have to close then for a longer period of time.   

'We do want schools to be open safely as soon as possible. We want to work with Government to achieve that central aim".  

Schools: Green GLA candidate slams 'chaotic and dangerous government' and backs Harrow Council's action

Emma Wallace

 

Reacting to yesterday's events Green Party GLA candidate for Brent and Harrow said:

Thank you to Harrow Council for taking decisive and sensible evidence based action, advising Harrow's primary schools that they can move to online learning from Monday. 

 

The government's decision to leave out Harrow, whilst all surrounding London borough's including Brent, Barnet, Ealing and Hillingdon having been listed as being able to delay their opening, despite having very similar rates of Covid-19 infection, was inconsistent and nonsensical.  

 

To find out that Gavin Williamson has announced a last minute U-turn advising that all primary schools can now close, except for vulnerable and key worker children, reveals once again the complete incompetence that we have now come to expect from this dangerous and chaotic government.  There is no evidence that the Conservatives are adhering to specialist medical advice or 'following the science' as they so proclaim.

 Vix Lowthian, Green Party Education Spokesperson said on Twitter on Labour Party nationally:

Labour must not ignore the unions, educators, parents and entire communities. Schools have been opened without adequate safety measures. Now as we reach a crisis, teaching must move to distance learning. Labour have to change tack - it's not about chaos, its about safety.

The National Education Union  Executive is meeting today to discuss their reaction to events as the Covid rates amongst young people continues to rise.  There will be a zoom meeting for all members on Sunday where thousands of school workers are expected.

Commenting on the latest decision by Government to close all London primary schools until 18 January at the earliest, Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the NEU, said:

 

It is welcome that, albeit in their usual last-minute fashion, ministers have corrected an obviously nonsensical position - one that it could not justify by evidence or sense.

 

But the question has to be asked: why are education ministers so inadequate and inept? Who is advising them? 

 

And what is right for London is right for the rest of the country. With the highest level of Covid-19 infection, and hospitals buckling under the tsunami of very ill patients, it is time for ministers to do their duty - to protect the NHS by following SAGE advice and close all primary and secondary schools to reduce the R rate below 1. 

 

It is time for the government to protect its citizens, and in particular its children, by shutting all primary schools for two weeks in order for the situation to be properly assessed, schools made much safer and children and their families protected.

Vix Lowthian, Education Spokesperson for the Green Party, will be speaking at a Green Party Trade Union Group Meeting at 4pm this afternoon. The meeting is open to all Green Party members. Email  yrrumuk@googlemail.com for joining details.

 

Councillor complains that Wembley ASDA are putting residents at 'significant risk' over lack of Covid safety measures

 

Following a shopping trip to Wembley Asda with his mother last Wednesday Alperton councillor, Anton Georgiou, wrote to the store on Christmas Eve to express his concern over the non-observance of Covid safety measures:

I was horrified by what was going on in your Wembley store yesterday afternoon. I understand this is a really busy time, though we are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and we will only get through it if we all do everything possible to limit the spread of COVID. I would like to speak to the store manager ASAP as I wish to make a formal complaint.

 Asked to elaborate on his concerns he said:

I was appalled at the lack of mask wearing by customers and staff, the fact that security and staff were not helpful when I was personally threatened for asking a customer behind me with[out] a mask to step back, I was threatened and verbally abused, there is little to no social distancing in store, anti bac is not available anywhere and the store is a mess.

Asda replied that they were sorry about Antons 'unpleasant experience' and had reported the feedback to the store manager for them to act on it and prevent it from happening again.  Anton responded that he would like to speak to the manager and asked when this could be arranged.

Asda ignored the request saying that they could pass on any further comments. Anton then asked for a telephone conversation with the manager to 'discuss what exact measures the store will be putting in place to ensure the safety of residents I represent who use the store and others in Brent.'

Asda replied that as a result of the complaint the issue had been raised with the store manager. The issues raised had been taken seriously and the store would be revisiting the safety measures and initiatives outlined in a blog  https://www.asda.com/shopping-safely-with-asda .   'Thanks again for raising your concerns with us and please be assured that this has been addressed and you should see an improvement going forwards.'

So no direct contact between a local councillor and the store manager was agreed.

Cllr Georgiou told Wembley Matters:

I was appalled at what I saw in Asda Wembley last Wednesday.

With Covid cases rising locally at an alarming rate, it is crucial that supermarkets do everything possible to ensure the safety of constimers and staff. This has generally been what we have seen in supermarkets and businesses across Brent, however Asda Wembley simply aren't doing enough.

I witnesed too many people not wearing masks in store, including staff, and limited social distancing. I have tried to engage with the management directly since Thursday but have so far not heard back on tangible actions they will take.

I am extremely concerned that many Alperton residents and others in the local area who use this store are being put at significant risk. We will only be able to control the spread of the virus if everyone plays their part. I am hopeful Asda Wembley will be in touch soon on changes they will make to keep people safe.

As of yesterday Covid cases around the Forty Avenue area was 627 per 100,000 up 104 from 523 the previous week.

 

NEU: Schools are not safe enough for education staff to work

 I haven't been able to find the list of schools in hard hit areas that will not open next week, referred to by Gavin Williamson a few minutes ago in the House of Commons but this is a statement from the NEU following his statement:

Commenting on today’s announcement by the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union said:

“We are astonished at today’s announcement by Gavin Williamson.

With warnings from eminent scientists of an ‘imminent catastrophe’ unless the whole of the UK is locked down, and with more cases in hospitals than ever before and our NHS facing an enormous crisis the Secretary of State is sending the majority of primary pupils and staff back on Monday to working environments which aren’t COVID secure.

The Government has not, despite being repeatedly asked, published the scientific guidance on the risks involved in school and college reopening. This information is desperately needed - particularly as the new variants of the virus are 50% more transmissible.

The Government in Scotland will not reopen schools till 18 January at the earliest. The Government in Westminster should have done that at least.

A longer period of online working for all primary, secondary and college students could suppress virus levels and buy time both for the roll out of the vaccine and to put in place measures that can keep schools safer.

Uniquely school and college staff are being required to work in overcrowded buildings, with no effective social distancing, no PPE and inadequate ventilation. 

We would like Gavin Williamson to explain, if schools are not centres of transmission why school age pupils are now the most infected age groups?

Why is it that Primary age children are the second highest infected of all age groups, or that levels of infection amongst Secondary pupils have multiplied by 75 times since the start of September?

Serious questions also have to be asked about the Government’s plans for lateral flow testing in secondary schools, in particular about the effectiveness of these tests in identifying COVID infection in young people who are highly likely to be asymptomatic, with the tests being supervised by non medically trained volunteers.  We do not think it likely that these tests alone can make our schools Covid secure nor protect the communities they serve.

We believe the Government's steps will fail, that cases will continue to rise and that the question of school opening will have to be re-visited but in a worse situation than now. We again call on the Government to engage with us and with the suggestions we have made.

We do not believe, as they are currently organised that schools are safe enough places for education staff to work. We demand the following:

• A review of all risk assessments in the light of the much higher transmission of the new variant.
• Social distancing of 1 metre between pupils in all schools and colleges to replace the current practice of cohort distancing which allows whole year groups to mix without any social distancing.
• Masks to be worn by pupils and staff in secondary school classrooms and colleges
• School staff to be made a top priority for vaccination - along with health care staff and starting with the most vulnerable.
• Until vaccinated, Clinically Extremely Vulnerable staff and other high risk groups to work from home, supporting children who are at home.

We reiterate that even with these steps we are concerned that cases will continue to rise making the spread of the virus in our communities more dangerous. We repeat our call on the Government to release its scientific advice and modelling”.

Healthwatch Brent's Winter Community Presentation - lots of useful information for residents

 Below are the slides of the presentation at Brent Healthwatch's Winter Community Event. They were correct on December 16th but remember our area moved into Tier 4 on December 20th. There is much useful information in the presentations. Click bottom right for full page version. 

Covid Vaccination Details HERE

Tier 4 restrictions details HERE

Arranging a FREE Covid 19 tests in Brent HERE

London in Tier 3 from Wednesday - Sadiq Khan's statement

 

Statement from the Mayor of London on the capital moving into Tier 3

14 December 2020

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

 

“The Government has decided to move London into Tier 3 from one minute past midnight on Wednesday morning. This is incredibly disappointing for our businesses who have suffered so much already this year. But it’s clear that the virus is accelerating in the wrong direction once again across London and the lives of Londoners are at risk. It would be such a tragedy to lose even more people to this disease when the vaccine is now being rolled out across our city.

 

“We know from bitter experience that when cases start to rise quickly, it’s much better to act early, rather than too late.  This is how we can avoid even tougher restrictions, for longer, further down the road.

 

“The worst thing for London’s businesses and our economy would be yet another full lockdown in the new year.  That’s why I urge Londoners to follow the Tier 3 rules that the Government is putting in place very closely so that we can drive down infection rates as much as possible.

 

“This means hospitality settings, such as bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants are required by the Government to close except for takeaway, delivery and click and collect services. You must continue not to meet other households indoors and to keep to the rule of six while outside.

 

“I don’t want London to be in Tier 3 for a day longer than necessary.  I am hugely concerned about the negative impact that the additional restrictions will have on jobs and many businesses that are already struggling to stay afloat.

 

“We now urgently need much more government support for the sectors of our economy that are being hit the hardest, including hospitality, culture, and leisure. It is crucial that Ministers urgently put in place a compensation scheme for all lost income, based on last year’s returns, for any businesses affected by the further restrictions during this crucial festive period.  The Government must also cover the full cost of Statutory Sick Pay for workers who have to self-isolate, and make wearing face coverings mandatory in busy outdoor public spaces.

 

“We have known from the outset of this pandemic that increased testing will be vital to getting the spread of the virus under control. That is why I have called on the Government to extend regular asymptomatic testing to all those unable to work from home and to London’s students and staff at secondary schools, sixth-form colleges and FE colleges.

 

“It is essential that the Government ramps up testing in schools and colleges immediately as this is where the virus is spreading most. If this does not happen, Tier 3 will not only cause huge damage to our hospitality and cultural industries, but the virus will just continue to spread over Christmas at a time when families may well be meeting up and our NHS is under pressure.

 

“Given the significant increase in infections among 10 to 19-year-olds – Government should consider asking secondary schools and colleges which don’t yet have testing facilities to close early and to reopen a bit later in January to allow time for weekly testing to be put in place. 

 

“The vaccine provides some light at the end of the tunnel, so let’s not fall at what could be the last hurdle. So I’d encourage all Londoners to adhere to the new Government rules so that we can save as many live

Recent rise in Covid rates in Wembley North

 

Fears of recent rise in #Covid19 cases in #Wembley confirmed by figs to Dec 7th. More in the last week. https://t.co/hMKFQ7G0ol pic.twitter.com/Lt3inw6MqY

— Martin Francis (@WembleyMatters) December 13, 2020

 

UPDATED: 999: Join the battle to save Wembley Ambulance Station from imminent closure

The London Ambulance service has given notice to its staff that they intend to close Wembley ambulance station as of the 1st Dec 2020 and relocate the resource to Kenton ambulance station.

 

This closure will leave a gulf in-between Kenton and Wembley that will be substantial, especially on event days. This gulf will also be impacted by the closure of Greenford, Ruislip, and Hayes ambulance stations, meaning the distance and time to get to critically ill patients will increase within the North of London area. 

 

The closure would occur in  the middle of a pandemic at a time of peak winter illness and falls, in a multi-racial community suffering from disproportionate numbers of Covid19 cases. A resource is being taken away from an area with a rapidly growing population as the result of high-rise developments In Alperton, Wembley Central and Wembley Park – areas close to the ambulance station.

Unison sets out its concerns:

1.We are concerned that Brent has one of the fastest growing populations in London, with a significant projected change in population in the two largest developments closest to Wembley Ambulance station will increase the population in the area by an average of 129%. 

 

Additionally, the borough’s population is projected to continue to grow by an expected 25%. This population explosion is greater than any other London borough.

 

These figures are compounded by the fact that the electoral ward is ranked 7th out of 317 in London for size and density of the population and sits high as one of the most deprived areas of London. Meaning that timely access to health care is paramount, which Wembley’s current location offers to our community.

 

The service believes that the impact of removing Wembley ambulance station will be minimal but I feel that they have not factored in the other surrounding station closures or the significant growth of the borough of Brent but also its surrounding boroughs.

 

2. Health & Social Care Act (2012), states that there is a requirement to consult the local community before the proposed withdrawal of NHS services:

 

·         Reduce inequalities between patients with respect to their ability to access health services

·         Reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them.

·         Promote the involvement of patients and their carers in decisions about provision of the health services to them

 ·         Enable patients to make choices with respect to aspects of health services provided to them

 

The Health & Social Care Act (2012) places a requirement upon the London Ambulance Service NHS trust in engage with the communities it serves.

 

It is vital that the service is intelligence and evidence led when commissioning services to meet the needs of the communities. Currently we have not directly involved our local community and allowed them to directly influence our day-to-day work. This engagement needs to  be relevant and reflective of the population and based on up-to-date information from the trust and stakeholder’s and partners.

 

The current policy also fails to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty of the Equality Act (2010), particularly in relation to Equality Delivery System (EDS2). The London Ambulance Service is failing to attain equality of care whilst not meeting an individual’s human rights goals. These goals include, but not limited to: 

 

·         Improved patient access and experience

·         Empowered, engaged and well supported staff

 

To make EDS2 work, it is extremely important that the community is involved in any process, thus ensuring that we meet the needs of groups that have “protected characteristics”.

 

The removal of Wembley ambulance station denies the community a timely access to care thus tarnishing the patient experience and their impression of the London Ambulance service within the communities we serve. Especially with the closure of the surrounding stations.

 

3. The initial move of staff to Kenton was to aid the services response to the pandemic, we fully supported the service in this with the expectation that all staff would be returned to Wembley station one pressure on the service reduces.

 

We accept that the service should remain in a ‘state of readiness’. However, we have already proved our flexibility and ‘agility’ and that we can re-consolidate ‘overnight’ if the service becomes under significant pressure again due to a) increasing numbers of seriously ill patients and b) impact on resourcing due to high staff absences.

 

However, things have changed over the past weeks and with the service seemingly attempting to speed up the estate consolidation process with a flagrant disregard to how this will impact on the staff members or the communities we serve.

 

Wembley station is fully serviceable and has passed all Health & Safety inspections, meeting the Government Covid compliance requirements which would ease the overcrowding concerns by consolidation of stations on the group.

 

To oppose the closure please write to your local Brent MP, spread the information via social media and feedback to the ambulance service with your views https://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/talking-with-us/enquiries-feedback-complaints/

 Cllr Ketan Sheth, Chair of Brent Council Scrutiny Committee, tweeted a comitment to scrutinise the decision shortly after details were pub lished in the Kilburn Times. He is concerned about the lack of consultaion with local people and councillors.

 

 Note:  Carolyn Downs is the Chief Executive of Brent Council

Advocates of the closure proposal are arguing that Wembley has been operating for a while from Kenton during Covid19 and the arrangement has worked well without any impact on  efficiency and call-out times. Having them all at one base to prepare the vehicles for the shift has proved beneficial. Vehicles do not normally return to base but go from job to job from dispersed positions. Wembley has been subject to flooding and the landlord wants to surrender the lease in December.

Responding the Unison representative said:

The people of Wembley deserve a dedicated Ambulance station and have benefited from it presence for over 45 years on its current site.The ongoing growth in the Borough and the further closure of Ambulance Stations neighbouring Wembley will leave large gaps in cover and could increase waiting times for the most seriously unwell patients.

There was an escape of water in the station. The station has been inspected and no H&S concerns have been raised and still has the ability to re open and be fully operational. 

We are ready to return and continue to serve our local community. 

The move of Wembley to Kenton was meant to be a temporary measure to help the service in its fight against Covid-19,which we fully supported. 

 

This threat has not gone away and all NHS staff are still fighting! 

 

The staff are rightly proud to deliver high quality care in such difficult times. 

It is obvious that the impact has not been felt in efficiency and call times, as l suspect that this is a direct result of the  country being in lock down! 

Once life returns to normal and we can all attend concerts, football matches and enjoy a meal out the entire Wembley area will be back to normal, gridlocked with thousands of people in the area on event days! I would imagine the impact of closing Ambulance stations will then be felt by the patients and the public alike.

The Ambulance Service has elected to close the station before the lease is up in April 2021 and are yet to provide any evidence that the landlord wants the station off the land.

The Mayor of Brent fully supports the re-opening of Wembley Ambulance station as do community groups.