Joking that he felt like an old-time hell-fire preacher speaking from the pulpit of Hope Baptist Church, George Monbiot instead brought a vision of hope to the packed audience yesterday at Hebden Bridge Arts Festival. Launching a national rewilding group … Continue reading
This is my response to Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group’s questionnaire about the future of hospital and community health and social care services in Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield. Have you completed yours? You can download the questionnaire here . You’ll find … Continue reading
The public seats were full at a Special Council meeting on 16th April, where Councillors unanimously passed a motion calling on Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, Locala and the South West Yorkshire Foundation Partnership Trust to withdraw their Strategic … Continue reading
There is a public outcry in Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield about cost-cutting proposals to close and curtail acute and emergency hospital services and replace them with cheaper, integrated health and social care in the community (whatever that might turn out … Continue reading
An NHS funding shortfall is driving proposals to close Calderdale A&E and “transform” Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS and social care system. At the March 2014 Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group Governing Body Meeting, it was clear that “austerity” politics is driving … Continue reading
On 13th March, Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group Governing Body gave the nod to proceed to the next stage of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust’s Strategic Outline Case (SOC). This is about Transforming Calderdale and Greater Huddersfield’s NHS and social … Continue reading
5 primary care/community health centres in Kirklees are a PFI project. Kirklees Primary Care Trust closed the financial deal for the PFI project in 2004. The 2012 Treasury PFI spreadsheet shows the PFI contract is for 30 years and Semperian … Continue reading
The National Clinical Advisory Team Report on the future of Calderdale and Huddersfield A&E, commissioned by Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, is now in the public domain after months of secrecy. This is what its guff about “delivering more … Continue reading
The costs of repaying the PFI debt and of paying for the expensive PFI hospital maintenance and service contracts are one of the causes of the Calderdale and Huddersfield hospital Trust’s finance problems. PFI costs, funding shortage and Strategic Review … Continue reading
The International Centre for Participation Studies at Bradford University is holding an event on 20th February: Making a difference to the neighbourhood? A new politics? The event is a conversation about community organising in Britain. It takes place on Thursday, … Continue reading