Douglas Alexander MP

Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South

Paisley Daily Express Column - 30 November 2011

6 weeks on.....and still no answers offered on proposed closure of RAH's Children's Ward...

In recent days I've finally received a response to my request for answers about the proposal to close Ward 15...the RAH's Children's Ward.

And after taking more than 6 weeks - yes 6 weeks - the letter I received from the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde contained not a single answer as to why the closure is now being proposed. All I got, as the local MP for the RAH, was a letter outlining the process of preconsultation (which ends today) and confirmation that the NHS will be asked during December to start a formal consultation on the possible closure of the of the ward. I knew all of that, before I sent my original letter in September, which I has written expressing the deep concerns of constituents about the proposed ward closure.

Reading the reply, it’s impossible to be left with any other impression than that it has been drafted not to provide real answers, but to provide as little information as possible.

No wonder John Kelly and other members of the Kids Need Our Ward (KNOW) are so angry. All of us in this community with kids have used the RAH’s services. All of us care about the services available to the local community. All of us deserve better than the obfuscation and delay served up by the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to my representations of behalf of concerned local people.

My sense is that concern here in Paisley is only growing. It’s time the Health Board and their SNP Ministerial Bosses, come clean with the people of Paisley about the true reason for and the true consequences of their kids ward closure plans – in  time that local people can tell them what we think.

The Problem of Potholes...

Anyone driving on our local roads in Renfrewshire knows that we’ve got a problem with potholes. In my advice surgeries I also hear about the burst tyres and broken axles that result for the potholes on our local roads.

I wasn’t surprised therefore to read this week that accorning to a new AA report, Scotland has the highest level of potholes in the whole of the UK. The survey, carried out among the AA membership, found Scottish neighbourhoods had on average twenty potholes on the UK average of fifteen.

And the road conditions across Scotland were shown to be significantly worse than last year, when fewer than 16 potholes were reported on average.

This latest survey backs up research undertaken by Audit Scotland, which recently found the maintenance backlog in Scotland was 43% higher than in England o Wales – with more than third of the Scottish road network deemed to be in unacceptable condition.

The AA describe the results as confirming roads in Scotland are suffering from “a pothole plague” that has not gone away despite repairs in recent years. They go one to say “Highway authorities need to get to grips with the pothole problem, as compensation claims will soar when cold weather strikes and roads start breaking up again placing a greater burned on already strained budgets.” These are wise words. Let’s hope they are heard loud and clear in Renfrewshire Councils HQ in Cotton Street.

Volunteers wanted......Especially Now.

As Christmas approaches and people start to get excited about the festivities it can be difficult to remember that this can be a very difficult time of year for many people, both financially and emotionally.

That’s why organisations such as the Samaritans who offer support to people who need it are so important.

Samaritans provides confidential non-judgemental support, 24 hours a day for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair.

Due to the service being so helpful to many people, there is always a need for more volunteers to help deal with an ever increasing number of calls.

I am aware that the Samaritans offers a life line to many people here in Renfrewshire who are desperate and feel that they have nowhere else to turn.

I would encourage anyone who has some spare time to think about volunteering for what is a very worthwhile cause indeed.

Being a volunteer can take up as much or as little time as you have to devote to it and you really can make a huge difference to the life of someone on the other end of the phone.

To find out more about becoming a volunteer, check out the website at www.samaritans.org or call 08457 90 90 90