Monday, August 01, 2005
a quick catch up...
The last week has been less hectic than previous ones.
On Tuesday, I went to City Hall to meet London Mayor Ken Livingstone to discuss the response of the Muslim community since the attacks. The Mayor had invited representatives from all the London Muslim communities. Although all Muslim, we had various races represented and a good mix of Londoners present. After giving an overview of the police investigation and response from the Mayors office, Ken opened up the meeting to the floor.
There were some pretty robust points made about feeling under attack, concerns about the "shoot to kill" policy, unease about the lack of an overall strategy, how to engage young people, links to foreign policy, examples of Islamophobic discrimination and much much more.
This meeting was the first of what I hope will be discussions on looking at how we build on the consensus that is building up post 7th July. In addition to the meetings with the PM, the Home Secretary and the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police; the dialogue with the Mayor will provide a useful conduit for some of the views, frustrations and thoughts of Muslim representatives to be heard by important policy makers and decision makers.
Tuesday night was spent at the Lahore Karahi restaurant in Tooting. My staff really are deprived as until then none of them had experienced a Tooting curry!!
On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of being the guest of honour at the leavers’ assembly at Fircroft Primary School. The Year 6 pupils put on a great end of year show and I presented each one of them with an encyclopaedia from the school that I am sure they will be able to use for many years to come. In my speech, I explained that I have experience of being a Fircroft school leaver myself (albeit 23 years ago) and the emotions that go with leaving a place where one is a big fish in a small pond. I went on to explain that I had recently started a new venture (a new job rather then a new school) where, like the Year 6 children, who will soon be Year 7 pupils in new and big secondary schools, I was a small fish in a big pond AND it wasn't that bad. The excitement and opportunity to learn new things and make new friends soon outweighed the fear that go with starting something new.
They had heard about the space MPs have at the Commons to keep their swords, and presented me with one (a toy one, of course!) so that I won't feel left out in future!
On Thursday 28th, I visited the Diabetes and Endocrinology Department at St George's Hospital, Tooting. I met staff from the Thomas Addison Unit to discuss lobbying for much needed improvements to the building. They do a fantastic job, treating people with diabetes and educating about prevention too.
The Unit has a number of problems that - there are a high number of ethnic minority patients using the Unit, and the waiting facilities are currently inadequate. There is also no separate waiting room for women and children, and many Asian women coming to the centre are uncomfortable waiting in a mixed gender area. Wheelchair access is also problematic.
I am looking forward to working with the unit and Trust over the coming months to discuss ways to raise funds.
I also met with the Chair of Trust, Naaz Coker, to discuss the recent announcement of a 1 star rating to St Georges Hospital. You can find out more about this on the news section of my website:
On Friday I was one of the guest speakers at the Furzedown Project AGM. I was lucky enough to go to the opening of the new, improved and extended building on Mosyer Road earlier this year and was therefore overjoyed at being asked to speak at the AGM, along with the Wandsworth Mayor, Cllr Diana Whittingham. After paying tribute to the outgoing Director of the Project, Margaret Joyce, who had served the Project for 8 sterling years, I welcomed the new Director Caroline Burling, who in a very short space of time is making great progress.
It really as amazing to see more then 100 members present at an AGM and I took the opportunity to pay tribute also to the amazing staff, volunteers, trustees, board members and most importantly users who all, together, make the Project such a huge success.
I declared a self interest in wanting the Project to go from strength to strength as a local neighbour I wanted to be able to use the Project in 30 years or so when I retire!
Older people are not given the respect and recognition they deserve in our society and I am pleased about a number of up coming things that will start to redress that: the VE/VJ day parade in Battersea Park on August 14th; a new law outlawing age discrimination; and a new Commission of Equalities and Human Rights (CEHR) that will enforce older peoples rights and further reform of the pension system.
On Saturday, I was the guest of honour handing out medals and certificates to Tooting children who had completed bronze, silver and gold levels in Maths and English at the Kumon Centre based at St Nicholas Church on Church Lane.
Today, I attended Springfield Hospital to meet with the Chief Executive, Nigel Fisher, to discuss recent events and future plans at St Georges Mental Health Trust.
There is currently a consultation going on about specialist mental health services provided by the Trust, and the deadline for submissions is 25th September. The consultation document can be downloaded here.
The consultation is about 4 specialist services: The Adult Eating Disorder Service, the Behaviour Cognitive Psychotherapy Service, the Inpatient Substance Misuse Service and the Child and Adolescent Service. The changes are aimed at organising health services to provide a better service for patients; to improve access to specialist services to patients can receive treatment earlier on in the illness process and to strengthen links between inpatient and community services. There is also a consultation on the proposed closure of Cottage Day Hospital and I will post details of this soon.
Sadiq
On Tuesday, I went to City Hall to meet London Mayor Ken Livingstone to discuss the response of the Muslim community since the attacks. The Mayor had invited representatives from all the London Muslim communities. Although all Muslim, we had various races represented and a good mix of Londoners present. After giving an overview of the police investigation and response from the Mayors office, Ken opened up the meeting to the floor.
There were some pretty robust points made about feeling under attack, concerns about the "shoot to kill" policy, unease about the lack of an overall strategy, how to engage young people, links to foreign policy, examples of Islamophobic discrimination and much much more.
This meeting was the first of what I hope will be discussions on looking at how we build on the consensus that is building up post 7th July. In addition to the meetings with the PM, the Home Secretary and the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police; the dialogue with the Mayor will provide a useful conduit for some of the views, frustrations and thoughts of Muslim representatives to be heard by important policy makers and decision makers.
Tuesday night was spent at the Lahore Karahi restaurant in Tooting. My staff really are deprived as until then none of them had experienced a Tooting curry!!
On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of being the guest of honour at the leavers’ assembly at Fircroft Primary School. The Year 6 pupils put on a great end of year show and I presented each one of them with an encyclopaedia from the school that I am sure they will be able to use for many years to come. In my speech, I explained that I have experience of being a Fircroft school leaver myself (albeit 23 years ago) and the emotions that go with leaving a place where one is a big fish in a small pond. I went on to explain that I had recently started a new venture (a new job rather then a new school) where, like the Year 6 children, who will soon be Year 7 pupils in new and big secondary schools, I was a small fish in a big pond AND it wasn't that bad. The excitement and opportunity to learn new things and make new friends soon outweighed the fear that go with starting something new.
They had heard about the space MPs have at the Commons to keep their swords, and presented me with one (a toy one, of course!) so that I won't feel left out in future!
On Thursday 28th, I visited the Diabetes and Endocrinology Department at St George's Hospital, Tooting. I met staff from the Thomas Addison Unit to discuss lobbying for much needed improvements to the building. They do a fantastic job, treating people with diabetes and educating about prevention too.
The Unit has a number of problems that - there are a high number of ethnic minority patients using the Unit, and the waiting facilities are currently inadequate. There is also no separate waiting room for women and children, and many Asian women coming to the centre are uncomfortable waiting in a mixed gender area. Wheelchair access is also problematic.
I am looking forward to working with the unit and Trust over the coming months to discuss ways to raise funds.
I also met with the Chair of Trust, Naaz Coker, to discuss the recent announcement of a 1 star rating to St Georges Hospital. You can find out more about this on the news section of my website:
On Friday I was one of the guest speakers at the Furzedown Project AGM. I was lucky enough to go to the opening of the new, improved and extended building on Mosyer Road earlier this year and was therefore overjoyed at being asked to speak at the AGM, along with the Wandsworth Mayor, Cllr Diana Whittingham. After paying tribute to the outgoing Director of the Project, Margaret Joyce, who had served the Project for 8 sterling years, I welcomed the new Director Caroline Burling, who in a very short space of time is making great progress.
It really as amazing to see more then 100 members present at an AGM and I took the opportunity to pay tribute also to the amazing staff, volunteers, trustees, board members and most importantly users who all, together, make the Project such a huge success.
I declared a self interest in wanting the Project to go from strength to strength as a local neighbour I wanted to be able to use the Project in 30 years or so when I retire!
Older people are not given the respect and recognition they deserve in our society and I am pleased about a number of up coming things that will start to redress that: the VE/VJ day parade in Battersea Park on August 14th; a new law outlawing age discrimination; and a new Commission of Equalities and Human Rights (CEHR) that will enforce older peoples rights and further reform of the pension system.
On Saturday, I was the guest of honour handing out medals and certificates to Tooting children who had completed bronze, silver and gold levels in Maths and English at the Kumon Centre based at St Nicholas Church on Church Lane.
Today, I attended Springfield Hospital to meet with the Chief Executive, Nigel Fisher, to discuss recent events and future plans at St Georges Mental Health Trust.
There is currently a consultation going on about specialist mental health services provided by the Trust, and the deadline for submissions is 25th September. The consultation document can be downloaded here.
The consultation is about 4 specialist services: The Adult Eating Disorder Service, the Behaviour Cognitive Psychotherapy Service, the Inpatient Substance Misuse Service and the Child and Adolescent Service. The changes are aimed at organising health services to provide a better service for patients; to improve access to specialist services to patients can receive treatment earlier on in the illness process and to strengthen links between inpatient and community services. There is also a consultation on the proposed closure of Cottage Day Hospital and I will post details of this soon.
Sadiq
