Calls for new diagnostics centre in Altrincham after unit shuts

Calls are being made for a new diagnostic centre to be based at a Greater Manchester hospital following a controversial move to permanently close its minor injuries unit.Residents and local politicians opposed the closure of the unit at Altrincham General Hospital, which was confirmed in March.The unit was shut during the coronavirus pandemic because of staff shortages and specialist nursing staff were deployed to other sites like Wythenshawe Hospital, where residents in south Trafford must now go to get treatment.Altrincham and Sale West MP Connor Rand said he was now in "active discussions" with the government to boost services offered in Altrincham.
Rand said: "I consistently opposed the closure of the minor injuries unit. "But since the disappointing decision to close it was confirmed, I have been in active discussions with the government."We need new services at Altrincham Hospital that will reduce pressure on Trafford General and Wythenshawe Hospital and save local residents unnecessary journeys."A diagnostics centre would do this. I'll continue to press for this in the weeks and months ahead."
'Spiralling waiting lists'
His call followed comments by Trafford Council's Liberal Democrat spokesman for health, Councillor Simon Lepori, who is also a health professional, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.Lepori said the decision to permanently close the unit had left "unanswered questions about the future of local health services in south Trafford". He continued: "How are we going to tackle spiralling waiting lists at Trafford General and Wythenshawe Hospitals? How can we support people who are struggling to access GP services? "What will the three empty rooms that housed the unit be used for now?"Trafford Liberal Democrats are calling on the Labour Party and NHS Greater Manchester bosses to establish a permanent diagnostic centre at Altrincham."A statement from NHS Greater Manchester said it was "committed to ensuring local residents have access to the right healthcare when they need it".It added: "We are exploring how to make the best use of the space within Altrincham Hospital as part of wider plans to improve healthcare across Greater Manchester."
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Scotsman

2 days ago

• Scotsman

Historic vote brings assisted dying closer to becoming law in England and Wales

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Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dame Prue Leith joins activists from Dignity in Dying in support of the assisted dying Bill in Parliament Square, central London, ahead of a debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the House of Commons | Yui Mok/PA Wire A majority of MPs backed a Bill that would allow terminally ill adults with a life expectancy of less than six months to end their lives. The outcome would lead to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill either clearing the House of Commons and moving to the Lords, or falling completely – with a warning the latter could mean the issue might not return to Westminster for a decade. A similar Bill, brought by Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, is being considered by MSPs at Holyrood. Responding to vote by MPs, Mr McArthur MSP said: "I am delighted that the House of Commons have voted to pass Kim Leadbeater's assisted dying bill at Third Reading - it's a milestone moment for choice and compassion at the end of life. MPs have listened to dying people, to bereaved families and the public – and have voted decisively for safe and compassionate law change. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "Last month, MSPs backed the principles of assisted dying in recognition that under the current law, terminally ill people can suffer despite the best care, take drastic action to end their own lives, or travel at huge cost to die in a foreign country. With this vote, MPs have sent a clear message that the worst outcome of all would be to allow the status quo to continue and that a better, safer and fairer law is possible. "I'll be making this case to colleagues in the Scottish Parliament as my bill moves through its following stages. 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As it stands, the proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and the three-member panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. Bill sponsor Kim Leadbeater has insisted the multidisciplinary panels represent a strengthening of the legislation, incorporating wider expert knowledge to assess assisted dying applications. Opening her debate, Ms Leadbeater said her Bill is 'cogent' and 'workable', with 'one simple thread running through it – the need to correct the profound injustices of the status quo and to offer a compassionate and safe choice to terminally ill people who want to make it'. 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Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dignity in Dying campaigners in support of the assisted dying Bill celebrate in Westminster, central London, after the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was passed in the House of Commons | Lucy North/PA Wire This means the Bill has completed its first stages in the Commons and will move to the House of Lords for further debate and scrutiny. Both Houses must agree the final text of the Bill before it can be signed into law. Due to the four-year implementation period, it could be 2029 – potentially coinciding with the end of this Government's Parliament – before assisted dying is offered. Encouraging or assisting suicide is currently against the law in England and Wales, with a maximum jail sentence of 14 years. 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BBC News

2 days ago

• BBC News

NHS Devon scraps changes to cardiac care after objections

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Daily Record

3 days ago

• Daily Record

Over 400,000 people on PIP set to lose daily living payments due to new DWP reforms

The OBR now estimates 430,000 PIP claimants will lose their award between November 2026 and 2030. New estimates from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) indicate that 1.64 million people currently claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will have an award review between November 2026 and March 2030. Of these, it expects roughly a quarter (430,000) will lose their daily living award as a result of the tightened eligibility criteria, proposed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). New and existing claimants will need to score at four points in at least one of the 10 daily living categories - along with the requisite number of overall points from others - to qualify for PIP. The average loss to those claimants would be £4,500 each year, under the current PIP payment rates. MPs will debate the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill on July 1, when it receives its second reading in the House of Commons. However, concerns and questions are expected to be raised on Monday when Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall and her senior ministerial team attend the scheduled oral questions session in Parliament. The DWP has now conducted analysis of PIP claimants who did not score four points in at least one daily living activity in 18 of the most common disabling conditions. These conditions have been chosen as they make up the highest proportions of PIP caseloads. The DWP has now conducted analysis of PIP claimants who did not score four points in at least one daily living activity in 18 of the most common disabling conditions. These conditions have been chosen as they make up the highest proportions of PIP caseloads. Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms, recently shared the analysis findings in a written response to Liberal Democrat MP Victoria Collins. Sir Stephen said: 'A breakdown of the impact of the reforms on disability overall has been published as part of an Equality Analysis of the Spring Statement package of measures 'Data on the health conditions of Universal Credit claimants being placed in the LCWRA has been published and will continue to be taken into account in the future programme of analysis.' The DWP Minister continued: 'Analysis of those who do not score four points in at least one daily living activity for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) has now been undertaken.' He added that the table of findings 'shows the volume of claimants with the 18 most common disabling conditions in receipt of the PIP daily living component in January 2025, as well as the volume and proportion of these claimants who were awarded less than four points in all 10 daily living activities.' DWP analysis of current daily living awards DWP notes on the analysis state that the health condition category is based on primary health condition as recorded on the PIP Computer System at time of latest assessment. Many claimants have multiple health conditions but only primary condition is available for analysis. The list below shows PIP health conditions, the number of comments in receipt of PIP daily living component and the number of claimants awarded less than four points in all daily living activities at the end of January 2025. Back Pain - 194,000 claimants, 154,000 (79%) scored less than 4 points Arthritis - 279,000 claimants, 13,000 (6%) scored less than 4 points Other Regional Musculoskeletal Diseases - 136,000 claimants, 97,000 (71%) scored less than 4 points Chronic Pain Syndromes - 173,00 claimants, 97,000 (71%) scored less than 4 points Cardiovascular Diseases - 61,000 claimants, 38,000 (62%) scored less than 4 points Respiratory Diseases - 83,000 claimants, 45,000 (55%) scored less than 4 points Multiple Sclerosis and Neuropathic Diseases - 80,000 claimants, 38,000 (48%) scored less than 4 points All Other Conditions - 272,000 claimants, 126,000 (46%) scored less than 4 points Other Neurological Diseases - 97,000 claimants,35,000 (36%) scored less than 4 points Cerebrovascular Diseases - 56,000 claimants, 19,000 (34%) scored less than 4 points Cancer - 70,000 claimants, 23,000 (33%) scored less than 4 points Epilepsy - 36,000 claimants, 11,000 (30%) scored less than 4 points Other Psychiatric Disorders - 90,000 claimants, 25,000 (28%) scored less than 4 points Cerebral Palsy and Neurological Muscular Diseases - 47,000 claimants, 11,000 (24%) scored less than 4 points Psychotic Disorders - 112,000 claimants, 26,000 (23%) scored less than 4 points ADHD / ADD - 75,000 claimants, 14,000 (19%) scored less than 4 points Autistic Spectrum Disorders - 206,000 claimants, 13,000 (6%) scored less than 4 points Learning Disabilities - 188,000claimants, 7,000 (3%) scored less than 4 points Other disabling condition groups which cover smaller proportions of the PIP caseload are covered in the 'Other Conditions' category. This includes: Visual Diseases Other General Musculoskeletal Diseases Endocrine Diseases Hearing Disorders Gastrointestinal Diseases Genitourinary Diseases Skin Diseases Autoimmune Diseases (Connective Tissue Disorders) Infectious Diseases Diseases of the Liver, Gallbladder or Biliary Tract Haematological Diseases Metabolic Diseases Multisystem and Extremes of Age Diseases of the Immune System Anxiety and Depression Anxiety disorders - Other / type not known Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Stress reaction disorders - Other / type not known Generalised anxiety disorder Phobia - Specific Phobia - Social Agoraphobia Panic disorder Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) Anxiety and depressive disorders - mixed Conversion disorder (hysteria) Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) Dissociative disorders - Other / type not known Somatoform disorders - Other / type not known Depressive disorder Bipolar affective disorder (Hypomania / Mania) Mood disorders - Other / type not known ‌ Daily living component for PIP You might get the daily living component of PIP if you need help with: eating, drinking or preparing food washing, bathing, using the toilet, managing incontinence dressing and undressing talking, listening, reading and understanding managing your medicines or treatments making decisions about money mixing with other people How difficulty with tasks is assessed The DWP will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. ‌ For each task, the DWP will look at: whether you can do it safely how long it takes you how often your condition affects this activity whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment The descriptors Your ability to carry out each activity is measured against a list of standard statements describing what you can or cannot do. ‌ These are known as the descriptors. The health professional will advise the DWP which descriptor applies to you for each activity. The Citizen's Advice website has a whole section dedicated to this along with a downloadable guide to all the points awarded for each response - you can view this here. An example they use is there are six descriptors for 'Dressing and undressing', ranging from 'Can dress and undress unaided' to 'Cannot dress or undress at all'. Each descriptor carries a points score ranging from 0 to 12. ‌ Using aids or appliances Your ability to carry out the daily living activities and the mobility activities will be assessed as if you were wearing or using any aids or appliances it would be reasonable for you to use. This applies whether or not you normally use those aids or appliances. However, if you use or need aids and appliances, this can help you to score more points - find out more here. ‌ Citizens Advice explains: 'An aid is any item which improves, provides or replaces impaired physical or mental function. It doesn't have to be specially designed as a disability aid. Examples include a stool you need to sit on when cooking, or a walking stick to help you stand.' Daily living scores Citizens Advice explains to get the daily living component of PIP, you must have a physical or mental condition that limits your ability to carry out some or all of the activities below. The maximum amount of PIP points that can be awarded for that question are shown. ‌ Daily living activity: Preparing food - 8 Taking medication - 10 Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition - 8 Washing and bathing - 8 Managing toilet needs or incontinence - 8 Dressing and undressing - 8 Communicating verbally - 12 Reading and understanding symbols and words - 8 Engaging with other people face to face - 8 Making budgeting decisions - 6 Points and payment rates After answering all the daily living activity questions: ‌ If you get between 8 and 11 points in total - you will be awarded the standard rate of PIP If you get at least 12 points in total - you will be awarded the enhanced rate of PIP After answering all the mobility activity questions: If you get between 8 and 11 points in total - you will be awarded the standard rate of PIP If you get at least 12 points in total - you will be awarded the enhanced rate of PIP ‌ The latest DWP figures show that at the end of April there were more than 3.7 million PIP claimants across England and Wales. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has previously said more than 1,000 PIP claims are being awarded per day, making the argument for welfare reforms to ensure the system is sustainable for the future. ‌ The proposed changes will come into force in November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. Reforms also include increasing the number of face-to-face assessments. At present, most are being conducted remotely over the phone, by video call, or paper-based. However, there will be no freeze on PIP payments, which will continue to be non-means-tested, and rise in-line with the September inflation rate. ‌ There will be no changes to the mobility component. You can complete the UK Government's consultation on proposed changes to PIP and the benefits system until 11.59pm on June 30, on here.