Applications for Sutton Trust Summer Schools are now open!
Sutton Trust UK Summer Schools consist of a week-long residential with one of 13 leading universities. By attending academic taster sessions and meeting like-minded individuals from across the UK, students get the chance to experience what university life is really like.
The Apprenticeship Summer School is a three-day residential designed to equip students with the skills to navigate the apprenticeship landscape. All costs associated are covered by the Sutton Trust and their partners, so they are free for students to attend. You can visit the Sutton Trust website at https://www.suttontrust.com/our-programmes/ for more information on these exciting opportunities.
University Birmingham Hospital
There has been a lot of press coverage today about the alleged culture and practices at UHB. I share the concerns expressed by the Health Secretary. It is crucial that the UHB acts swiftly get to the bottom of the allegations. I understand that it has already launched three independent reviews that will focus on:
• Patient safety (Bewick Review) - commissioned by us in the ICB, overseen by experienced senior independent clinician, Professor Mike Bewick, former NHS England Deputy Medical Director. The report is expected by the end of January. Any outputs pertaining to culture, leadership or governance, will be addressed as part of the following two reviews.
• Well-led review of leadership and governance – in conjunction with NHS England, using established methodology. This will happen between January and March 2023. Publication arrangements will be agreed.
• Culture - commissioned externally by UHB’s Interim Chair, Dame Yve Buckland, incorporating findings from above. Will report in first half of 2023. Publication arrangements will be agreed.
In order to establish the full facts of the complaints, these reviews must have the space and freedom they need to investigate in a rigorous and timely fashion. I await the conclusions of the reviews in the next few weeks.
Policing in Royal Sutton Coldfield
I wish to congratulate the new Chief Constable of the West Midlands, Craig Guildford, who has taken up his post.
I know he is committed to maintaining an effective police service in the Royal Town and I’m sure we will all benefit from his experience.
Our Royal Town Council Leader, Simon Ward, has written to welcome him and to reiterate the Council’s objection to the terrible decision taken to close down our only police hub.
I will also be raising this issue with the Chief Constable when we meet in due course.
A copy of the full letter is here:
Asda announces it will extend its 10% off offer for emergency workers with Blue Light Card until at least 31st March 2023
The discount is available in the Royal Town’s Asda store and includes food and drink, George at Asda clothing and homeware, toys, gifts and optical. Blue Light card holders will receive the discount by presenting their own, valid, Blue Light card and ID to our colleagues at checkout.
Blue Light Card is a nationally recognised scheme which provides workers in the NHS, emergency services, social care sector and the armed forces with a range of discounts. Asda has extended its discount for card holders to acknowledge the amazing work they do each day to keep everyone safe.
National Express Announce 10-Step Action Plan to Improve Services in the West Midlands
National Express recently published their ten point action plan which outlines the measures they have been taking to address problems experienced by customers.
The Ten-step plans are as follows:
- Paying our people more. Through close working with unions, we have agreed a new set of terms and conditions which will see a typical full-time bus driver in the West Midlands paid £28,500 a year - and even more with overtime.
- Improving flexibility. We’ve also revamped the working week to improve work/life balance. We have part time work, four-day weeks, and shorter week options; all designed to better fit people’s modern lives.
- Investing in training. We provide full training – all you need is a car licence and we’ll take it from there. We’ve hired more trainers and bought high-tech bus simulators to help people learn the ropes.
- Taking our state-of-the-art bus simulator out into the community. We want to encourage people who may not have considered bus-driving as a career to have a go. Our next simulator open day is in Coventry on 9th December - look out for more information coming soon!
- Making it easier for new recruits to be trained.We have expanded our training school from one to four in key locations around the region and ensure that once recruits are identified they are fast-tracked so they can get on the roads serving our customers - still to our high ‘safety-first’ standards.
- Investing in our garages. We’re currently building a new high-spec garage in Perry Barr and we are investing in our other nine garages around the West Midlands to ensure we can prioritise our people’s well-being.
- All hands on deck. Everyone who can drive is driving. This includes our normally office-based colleagues who are trained to drive a bus; while we experience these issues they are out on the roads every day serving our customers.
- Working together with TfWM and other operators. We’re working closely through the Bus Alliance to ensure that all operators work together – for example through more partnership routes where passengers can catch any operators’ bus.
- Supporting our people. Sometimes some people cause trouble on our buses. We’re working with our partners in the police and Transport for West Midlands through the Safer Travel Partnership to crack down on them and make sure the travelling public, and our drivers, know we’re on their side - and that the perpetrators are dealt with.
- Making the West Midlands cleaner and greener. We’re investing in zero emission vehicles, which means our teams know they are playing a huge part in tackling climate change. If you drive for us, you know that you are helping make the West Midlands a little bit greener every day.
National Express have also confirmed that on the whole their services are not changing or only have minor timetable alterations. These minor timetable changes are being made to improve the reliability of the routes with the changing traffic conditions using the road network.
Good Economic News…
The economy performed better than expected, growing in November 2022.
This has defied predictions of an imminent recession and proves that the new prime minister is moving in the right direction.
Local Football Funding
Yesterday the government confirmed it is investing £230 million in football facilities across the UK, ensuring all communities have access to high quality sporting facilities.
This funding will enhance local facilities and build on the successful delivery of over £43 million across the UK last year.
Ensuring every community has access to high quality facilities is a central part of the endeavour to level up across the country.
NHS Latest: Record Number of Doctors and Nurses
Figures released yesterday show there are record numbers of doctors and nurses working in the NHS in England, easing pressure over winter by delivering extra appointments, speeding up diagnoses and beating back the Covid backlog.
The government is committed to delivering a properly funded health service with a strong workforce, providing quality care for everyone who needs it.
A serious recruitment drive has brought in almost 4,700 more doctors and over 10,500 more nurses since October 2021 – which means there are now more than 35,300 more doctors and over 47,100 more nurses working in the NHS than in 2010.
The government is on track to deliver on our manifesto commitment to recruit 50,000 more nurses by 2024 as we work to improve patient outcomes.
New Breast Cancer Screening Units
The government has announced it is funding 29 new breast cancer screening units, to increase detection and save lives. The earlier we can detect cancer, the better.
Useful Information
Forthcoming MHRC locations:
- Tue 31/01/2023 Welshmans Hill B73 6RZ 0700 – 1200 Sutton Vesey
- Wed 01/02/2023 Signal Hayes Road B76 2RF 0700 – 1200 Sutton Walmley & Minworth