Terrence Higgins Trust condemns government decision on Sex and Relationships Education

Already two months later than expected, having promised to comment by the end of last year, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has ignored countless reports, evidence and calls - most notably from the Education Select Committee - to make personal, social and health education (PSHE) and sex and relationships education (SRE) statutory.

Instead, the government has announced it will work with a group of leading head teachers and practitioners to improve PSHE, but this will not include statutory status, and is hardly likely to have the breadth or scope to tackle Ofsted’s finding that 40 per cent of PSHE teaching is not of sufficient quality.

Shaun Griffin, Executive Director External Affairs, Terrence Higgins Trust said:

The government missed its own deadline in reply to the Education Select Committee on PSHE, and now reveals itself to have completely  ignored that report, and the recommendation of no less than four chairs of parliamentary committees. Quite incredible.

Confusingly, in its letter the government expresses concern around the variable quality of PSHE provision, yet rejects the obvious solution. If  PSHE and SRE is made compulsory in all schools, it will be treated as other subjects, with teachers getting the training they need, and enough time being allocated in timetables for quality lessons.

Countless reports have shown the value of statutory PSHE including a strong link to good academic performance. It is quite astonishing that the government should disregard the advice of its own committee and mounting external evidence that the current system doesn’t work. We have failed young people in our country with inadequate and unrealistic SRE, and we now look set to fail many more.

Contrary to the government’s current assertion, that the vast majority of schools already make provision for PSHE and SRE, this is only obligatory in the 40 per cent of secondary schools which are maintained. This excludes the growing number of academies and free schools, let alone primary schools.

As part of the Sex Education Forum , Terrence Higgins Trust, is campaigning for universal statutory status for SRE in all schools.

Greens back Junior Doctors: Government playing with fire over the dispute

Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader, attended a picket outside Barnet General Hospital today to demonstrate the Green Party's solidarity with junior doctors. 

Greens oppose the creeping privatisation of our NHS and are fighting for a publicly funded, publicly provided health service free at the point of use.

Speaking from the picket, Bennett said:

The government is playing with fire with its bullying, disrespectful attitude towards the junior doctors.

There is a global shortage of medical professionals and almost everyone I have spoken to on the doctors' picket lines knows a colleague who has already emigrated. Many more are considering it.

Our talented healthcare professionals are a national asset who are being driven away by this government. We need to value, support and listen to our junior doctors.  

Instead, ministers are failing to address doctors’ serious concerns surrounding safe working conditions, and aren’t offering proper recognition for those working unsocial hours.

The government must rethink the way they're treating our NHS. As a start they should negotiate with the doctors in good faith, and put forward the offer of a contract that is fair and works for staff and patients alike. Until then we’ll continue to stand in solidarity with the junior doctors as they fight for what’s right.

Brent 'Independent Persons' ads due out next week

Fiona Alderman, Brent Council's Chief Legal Officer, has confirmed that Mildred Philip's Head of Brent Council Human Resources will be advertising for Independent Persons next week.

Philip Grant followed up Brent's failure to fill the posts with Carolyn Downs, Brent Council's Chief Executive on February 8th. LINK  The Independent Person fulfils the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 in addressing complaints about alleged breaches of the Members' Code of Conduct reported to the Standards Committee as well as a new role in the dismissal of 'certain statutory officers'.

Philip Grant commented:

I don't know whether Mildred Phillips would have got round to advertising the Independent Person vacancies 'next week' without a little reminder from me, via Brent's Chief Executive!

If you are interested in helping Brent Council maintain (or perhaps that should be 'improve') its standards look out for the advertisements.

Not convinced by Junior Doctors' case? WATCH THIS!

'Speak Up for Libraries' - Will our MPs respond?

Alan Wylie, Barnet library  campaigner spoke for many today when he made the case for publicly funded, professionally staffed libraries today at the rally that preceded today's Speak Up for Libraries lobby of MPs. As well as local libraries the plight of school libraries was also touched on by many speakers. School libraries are not a 'statutory requirement' (unlike prison libraries) and thus are vulnerable to cuts as well as pressure on space as schools expand to cater for increasing pupils numbers.  Most school libraries cannot hope to stock all the books that teachers and students may require but many local authorities have cut the education library lending service which previously had a comprehensive stock.

George Hamerton, who is a pupil librarian at his primary school wowed the audiencve with his calmly presented case for the prpotection of libraries.

A common theme of contributors, whether authors, library workers or users, often  speaking from their own experience, was the contribution that libraries made to hard up working class families who would otherwise not be available to afford books. This is as true today as it was for many of the speakers as they were growing up but closure of local libraries, school libraries and education library services means that the current generation is at a disadvantage compared to the previous generation - internet or no internet.

Barry Gardiner MP was not in London to listen to the views of Brent North residents who gathered to see him so here are the demands we would have put to our MP. None of the Brent or Harrow MPs have signed the Early Day Motion LINK

Demands 

Enforce the law that says local authorities must provide a “comprehensive and efficient” library service by developing and implementing, with the Leadership for Libraries Taskforce, statuto y guidance on the responsibilities of public library authorities

Acknowledge that libraries are important to people – especially during a
recession – by implementing policy during the 2016 Parliament which secures their statutory rights to a quality library service and recognises the contribution of libraries to overall policy objectives including economic prosperity, skills development, literacy, health and wellbeing and community cohesion

Give libraries a long-term future with a clear vision for their development and standards of service by including a programme of library development and modernisation in the 2016-2020 DCMS Business Plan

Ensure councils have enough money to provide quality services that are well planned and sufficiently staffed

Support the EDM 1025 (Early Day Motion) from Speak Up for Libraries Campaign :

That this House recognises that public libraries are hugely important to our communities; acknowledges that many have already closed or are under threat; welcomes the Speak Up For Library lobby of Parliament in support of the public library service on 9 February 2016; and calls on the Government to ensure that councils have enough money to provide well-staffed quality services to enforce the law that says local authorities must provide a comprehensive and efficient library service, to implement policy which secures people’s statutory rights to a quality library service and to give libraries a long-term future by including a programme of library development and modernisation in the 2016 to 2020 Department for Culture, Media and Sport Business Plan.

A personal view by Nan Tewari on the ASA outlawing the Brent CCG A & E poster

Guest blog by Nan Tewari (in personal capacity):

Last week the Advertising Standards bods issued a ruling telling Brent NHS CCG to buck its ideas up and stick to doctoring rather than spin doctoring.

OK, the ASA didn't actually say that but I do so wish it had!  Last week that intrepid ferreter out of  goings-on in Brent, Martin Francis, broke the story on Wembley Matters LINK, of the Advertising Standards Authority ruling against the 'A & E is only for life threatening emergencies 'posters.

Advertising is supposed to be accurate and advertisers of products and services have an obligation not to mislead.  One wonders whether GPs have now joined the ranks of those estimable professionals of the estate agency and second-hand car sales' worlds (with apologies as always to the honourable exceptions).  

Brent Patient Voice spent weeks corresponding with Brent NHS Clinical Commissioning Group when we first became aware of the posters emblazoned on hoardings and bus stops trying to persuade them to withdraw the misleading advert, to no avail.  Of course, it is bad enough that BPV had to 'become aware' of the posters and that BCCG didn't even bother to consult with us before launching their poster campaign.

To try to give regular readers a succinct bit of context, the relationship of BPV with Brent NHS CCG is akin to that of Philip Grant with Brent Council – enough said.

We pointed out that BCCG's own advice on its website had been uncannily accurate in stating that A & E is for life threatening emergencies AND other serious conditions.  A broken ankle isn't life threatening but I wouldn't hobble into an Urgent Care Centre with one; no siree, I'd take it straight to A & E even if I might have to wait more than 4 hours.  So clearly A & E cannot accurately be said to be for life threatening emergencies ONLY, so even more clearly, some spin doctory type had done some spinning and come up with offending poster.

You may well ask why cash strapped BCCG would COMMISSION (ha ha) said posters. entailing design, printing and pots of glue to stick said posters up.  Perhaps Transport for London was running a cut-price promotion on its bus stop hoardings and some clever COMMISSIONER at BCCG thought they could please their Department of Health masters by using public money to place the blame squarely on the public shoulder for the soi disant A & E crisis.

I say 'so called' crisis precisely because people presenting to A & E are assessed (triaged) at the front desk and then either treated by the on-site Urgent Care Centre or are referred through to the full A & E service, so for the most part, people are NOT accessing A & E in droves, inappropriately.

Anyway, the ASA rules and Brent NHS CCG makes contrite apology.......... well, in a parallel universe perhaps.  Instead, BCCG writes off the entire episode as insignificant because - it arose out of ONE complaint.   The fact that BPV has ELECTED patient reps on its committee counts for nothing.  In fact, BCCG has a proud tradition of wanting to hand-pick the patients it prefers to talk to rather than being respectful of the wishes of Brent patients themselves who have elected their own reps which allows those reps to act independently without fear or favour.

Contrast the BCCG arrogance with the approach of South Worcester CCG whose spokesman said: “We welcome the findings from the Advertising Standards Agency”.  [Ackn. Evesham Journal]

And finally, I leave you with news that BCCG's next advertising campaign will focus on ophthalmology, tackling colour blindness where BCCG hopes to persuade us that black is white.

In keeping with the tenets of this blog, herewith my Declarations of Interest -

Elected Co-chair of Harness Locality Patient Participation Group

Steering Group member of Brent Patient Voice (writing in a personal capacity)

A patient registered with a Brent GP practice

A very rare user of A & E (once falling over in school playground many moons ago)

Nan Tewari

Greenpeace frack Parliament's front garden #frackminster

Gandhi looks on approvingly

Greenpeace brough the fracking issue into the heart of government today when they erected a fracking rig in Parliament Square. This is their statement:

Take power now. Don't let yourself, any longer, be ruled by someone else.'

Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Commuinities and Local Government

Today we are fracking Parliament Square.

The government probably doesn't want fracking on its doorstep...neither do we.

In June last year, Lancashire council rejected a fracking application, but the government in Westminster plans to recall the council's decision, potentially forcing this dirty industry, and all its impacts, on local residents and councils. Meanwhile, the government is piling the pressure on councils around the UK to fast-track decsions on fracking.

By bringing fracking to the heart of democracy today, we are calling on Greg Clark, the Secetary of State for Communities and Local Government, to make the right decision.

Instead of siding with the fracking industry and railroading local residents and councils, he should uphold their decisions, letting the 'take power' and not ;beruled by someone else.'

To sign the petition to stop Greg Clark from undermining local democracy and forcing fracking on the UK, go to www.greenpeace.org.uk

#frackminster

Greenpeace

The rig is expected to be there until 5pm this evening, Why not pop down and offer your support.

 

 

Government 'shutdown of local democratic space' condemned

War on Want has issued the following statement regarding the  Newcastle City Council motion on local authority pennions and procurement policy:
 

War on Want welcomes the news that Newcastle City Council has voted to approve a motion opposing the government’s latest attack on local democracy.

The motion was passed unanimously, with full cross party support, at a recent council meeting. It is now official Newcastle City Council policy.

In November 2015, the government announced a proposal to block local councils from deciding how to invest their pension funds. Under the new plan, the government will have the power to veto investment decisions made locally on ethical grounds concerning human rights, arms trade, fossil fuels and much else.

Councillor Mick Bowman, North Heaton ward, said: 

This vindictive and ideologically motivated proposal, reminiscent of the­­­ notorious Clause 28 introduced by the Tories in 1988, is a blanket attempt to prevent local councils from having an ethical procurement and pensions investment policy.

Newcastle is a city with a proud commitment to human rights and many local councillors are active in social justice campaigns, including the movement for justice for Palestine, and we are determined to do whatever we can to block this proposal.

Ryvka Barnard, Senior Militarism and Security Campaigner at War on Want, said:

Newcastle City Council is fighting back, as are councils across the country, rightly concerned by the government’s attack on democracy and local decision making.

So much for George Osborne’s so called ‘devolution revolution’. The government’s action has consistently failed to match its rhetoric when it comes to localism and devolving power. This plan amounts to a shutdown of local democratic space and is a dangerous threat to the growing power of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which aims to end UK complicity in Israel’s abuses of Palestinian human rights.

Over 10,000 people have responded to the government consultation, rejecting the proposal.
The ‘Protect Local Democracy’ campaign, initiated by War on Want, has been endorsed by a broad range of groups concerned with the human rights and environmental implications of the proposal. UNISON has also expressed concern that the proposal will deny pension scheme members their right to have their pension funds invested in their best interests.