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Petitions
Tuesday 18 November 2014
Presented Petitions
Petitions presented to the House but not read on the Floor
Allegations made against an education professional in Birmingham
The Petition of Jackie Hughes,
Declares that the Petitioner is an education professional working in Birmingham and was Head of School Effectiveness in Birmingham City Council from 2007–2010, during which time she was implementing the then Government’s National Challenge Programme and assisting Birmingham to become one of the leading core cities for secondary school performance in England; further declares that the Petitioner currently works for the Education Department of the Church of England in Birmingham; further declares that the Honourable Member for Perry Bar (Khalid Mahmood MP) said in Parliament on 22 July 2014 (Column 1254) that he “...would like to use parliamentary privilege...to name a few individuals about whom...further investigation needs to be made...Jackie Hughes...and all local authority officers who colluded with this huge tragedy of keeping these schools in a position they should not have been in, and who by not listening to the parents, governors and teachers who demanded action were not prepared to act on their behalf”; further declares that the Petitioner’s Member of Parliament, the honourable Member for Birmingham, Yardley (John Hemming MP), has requested Mr Mahmood to explain what allegations have been made about her and what investigation he believes needs to occur and notes that Mr Mahmood has not responded to this request; further declares that the vague assertions of the Honourable Member for Perry Barr have caused the Petitioner to attract embarrassing media attention and questions from colleagues; and further declares that the Petitioner believes that there is no evidence to justify the assertion that was made.
The Petitioner therefore requests that the House of Commons require the honourable Member for Perry Bar (Mr Mahmood) to apologise to the House for making unsubstantiated allegations in Parliament about Mrs Hughes’s conduct as Head of School Effectiveness in Birmingham City Council.
And the Petitioner remains, etc.—[Presented by John Hemming .][P001399]
Allegations made against an education professional in Birmingham
Declares that the Petitioner is an education professional working in Birmingham and was Head of School and Governor Support for Birmingham City Council from 2007–2010, during which time he was awarded a Chamberlain Award for “Outstanding Service” on the votes of Head Teachers in Birmingham; further declares that the honourable Member for Birmingham, Perry Bar (Khalid Mahmood MP) said in Parliament on 22 July 2014 (Column 1254) that he “...would like to use parliamentary privilege...to name a few individuals about whom...further investigation needs to be made...David Hughes...and all local authority officers who colluded
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with this huge tragedy of keeping these schools in a position they should not have been in, and who by not listening to the parents, governors and teachers who demanded action were not prepared to act on their behalf”; further declares that the Petitioner’s Member of Parliament, the honourable Member for Birmingham, Yardley (John Hemming MP), has requested Mr Mahmood to explain what allegations have been made about him and what investigation he believes needs to occur and notes that Mr Mahmood has not responded to this request; further declares that the vague assertions of the honourable Member for Perry Barr have caused the Petitioner to attract embarrassing media attention and questions from colleagues; and further declares that the Petitioner believes that there is no evidence to justify the assertion that was made.
The Petitioner therefore requests that the House of Commons require the honourable Member for Perry Bar (Mr Mahmood) to apologise to the House for making unsubstantiated allegations in Parliament about Mr Hughes’s conduct as Head of School and Governor Support for Birmingham City Council.
And the Petitioner remains, etc.—[Presented by John Hemming .][P001400]
Observations
Health
NHS health services in Guisborough, Skelton, Brotton, Park End and Hemlington
The Petition of residents of the UK,
Declares that the Petitioners believe in fighting to defend the NHS; further that the Petitioners believe in fighting to defend the NHS services in East Cleveland and Park End and Hemlington, Middlesborough, and oppose cuts inflicted by the Conservative-led Government’s Health and Social Care Act 2012; further that the Petitioners believe that proposals to scrap GP services at Hemlington Medical Centre should be abandoned; further that proposals to scrap GP services at Hemlington Medical Centre should also be abandoned; further that the Petitioners believe that South Tees clinical commissioning group's plan to close East Cleveland Hospital’s and Guisborough Hospital’s minor injuries units is short-sighted given the £30 million deficit of South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; and further that the Petitioners condemn South Tees clinical commissioning group’s decision to close Skelton’s NHS walk-in centre and close Park End Medical centre.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to encourage NHS England and South Tees clinical commissioning group to re-open Park End Medical Centre, Skelton Medical Centre, its NHS walk-in centre and East Cleveland and Guisborough Hospitals' minor injury units.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Tom Blenkinsop , Official Report, 29 October 2014; Vol. 587, c. 363.]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Health Department:
These are matters for the local NHS. This Government are committed to devolving decision making about local NHS services to local clinicians and
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communities. GPs, clinicians, patients and local authorities are best placed to determine the nature of their NHS services.
Following a period of public consultation, on 15 October the South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group approved changes to community services, including minor injury services. The CCG will commission a new centralised stroke service and an enhanced minor injury service at Redcar Primary Care Hospital by April 2015. In the next two years, the CCG plans to significantly improve the range and extent of services available in the community. This includes services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and community nursing, along with providing more treatments in patients’ own homes, and more outpatient and day treatment appointments at local community venues.
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NHS England is responsible for the commissioning of primary care services. The GP practices at Park End and Skelton Medical Centres, first commissioned in 2009, have closed as their respective contracts have expired. This followed a service review involving stakeholder engagement and an impact assessment. The review showed list sizes to be low against original projections, with sufficient accessible primary care capacity nearby.
The walk-in service at Skelton Medical Centre also closed at the end of its contract. The local NHS assessed that there was not sufficient demand for the walk-in service to make it viable.
NHS England is seeking an alternative provider to retain Hemlington practice until December 2015. This will enable a comprehensive review, involving full consultation, yet to be undertaken.