Ealing Hospital update

Following on from the briefing Angie (pictured left with Julie Lowe and Ian Green) had from Ealing Hospital Chief Executive, Julie Lowe, about the merger talks and future plans for the hospital, she has now put in a request to the Department of Health for a meeting with Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley.

"It's very clear to me that there is real concern about what may be recommended by the latest NHS North West London review into hospital provision. This review, which comes on top of the local merger talks between Ealing, Central Middlesex and Northwick Park hospitals, is looking at how to reconfigure hospital services across North West London, which will obviously have consequences for A&E provision. As I have long said, given the very large number of patients that depend on the A&E at Ealing, closing it would create far more problems than it solves, and I shall be raising my concerns with Andrew Lansley as soon as I get the meeting arranged."

The Mulberry Centre

The Mulberry Centre, a voluntary organisation based in Hounslow, invited Angie (pictured with, from left, Jasminder Grewal, Judi Stewart and Emma Cartwright) to visit in order to brief her on the work they do caring for cancer victims and their friends and families who need help to cope with the pressure. They are planning to expand their outreach programme into Ealing and Angie has promised to help.

"I was really impressed with what I learnt about work done by the Mulberry Centre. They recognise that it is not just those diagnosed with cancer, but those around them too that may be traumatised by the diagnosis and who need help and support as well."

"I know many of my constituents could benefit from their services and I certainly hope their expansion into Ealing and Acton will be successful."

Conservative Friends of Pakistan

The Conservative Friends of Pakistan, a new organisation, has been launched at a lunch at the Savoy Hotel attended by the Prime Minister, his Pakistani counterpart, and other leading members of both governments.Angie (pictured left with Tariq Choudhary and Razi Khan) was one of the MPs hosting a table at the well-attended lunch, which gave her the opportunity to meet a number of interesting new people and important contacts.

Afterwards she said,

"I was delighted to be invited to this significant event. I think many of us wondered why this organisation hasn't been set up before because there are so many issues that are shared between us. I look forward to many more events where we can all meet and share our ideas."

The Queen's Speech

Angie was lucky enough to get a seat in the House of Lords Gallery to watch the Queen opening Parliament and delivering the speech outlining the Government's programme for the next session.She said afterwards,

"It was fantastic to see the Queen for myself on such an important occasion. I particularly welcomed, in the speech, the opening line which confirmed that economic growth and the all important deficit reduction programme remain the top priority for this Government."

The previous week Angie was invited by BBC Radio 4 to discuss the last parliamentary session, its highs and its lows, and also to look forward to what she expects in the next.

Kids Count Awards - the Bridge Project

Angie was delighted to welcome Jackie Riggon and her team to the House of Commons to receive a Kids Count award for their work with young people in North Acton.

Angie first met Jackie Riggon when Acton Community Forum – who do a lot of important work across Acton in this field - invited her down to see the playscheme Jackie runs for local children in their holidays in North Acton. Jackie has single-handedly decided to take responsibility for keeping the children properly organised, entertained and safe as they play in the areas that have been designated near where they live. Angie heard that not only are the children encouraged to look after each other, but also that Jackie keeps an eye on their performance at school by ensuring they are getting good reports from their teachers!

Some of the youngsters in the scheme go on to train for qualifications that enable them to take responsibility for groups of children. Angie was so impressed she nominated them for a Kids Count award – and they won! Kids Count is a grassroots charity which believes that young people should be vocal and active in shaping their ideas into solutions. The 'Inspiration Awards' are all about recognising the unsung heroes across the country who do great work in the local community.

After seeing Jackie and her team receive their award, Angie said,

"I was really pleased when asked to nominate an inspirational community group in my constituency that works with young people. Jackie is a star who's done so much good work on the estate where she lives in North Acton with her children."

"Kids Count is a great organisation and their awards scheme is a fantastic way of ensuring that the good work people like Jackie do gets proper recognition."

Your Life You Choose at Acton High School

Angie spent the morning at Acton High School watching the organisation 'Your Life You Choose' telling pupils about the consequences of getting involved in bullying and crime.

Organiser Diana Dishley, who set the initiative up twenty years ago, has brought together various agencies including Magistrates, Police, Prison Officers, Probation Officers, Victim Support, Youth Offending Services and Ex-Offenders to show pupils what happens from both sides - when someone is caught and punished, but also what it's like to be a victim.

Angie found the morning really interesting:

"This is a great initiative. It helps young people understand what it's like both to be in trouble with the law, but also what it's like to be bullied and attacked.

"They showed a very powerful DVD, filmed from the point of view of three victims and what they went through to get over their ordeal with Victim Support. Diana Dishley runs this across Ealing at the moment, but is hoping that the MET will expand this further."

Questions in the House

Angie has spoken three times in the House in the last week.

On Monday afternoon she put a question to the Chancellor about the additional money we are loaning to the IMF. You can read the exchange by clicking here.

On Wednesday afternoon she spoke during the Report Stage of the Civil Aviation Bill. In her intervention she again put on record her opposition to the idea of a third runway at Heathrow.

And on Thursday morning, Angie put a question to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs during DEFRA questions. In her question she welcomed the additional measures announced by the Government this week to tackle the problem of dangerous dogs, but also emphasised her view that there is still more that needs to be done, especially about irresponsible dog owners.

BNI Breakfast Briefing

The Walpole Chapter of Business Networking International invited Angie to a business breakfast at the New Inn in Ealing to discuss Government measures to help nurture small and medium sized enterprises.

Angie addressed the audience of around thirty local business owners laying out the progress that is being made to cut back on regulation and also the Budget measures to cut taxes and raise the personal tax allowance. She told them she was as keen to hear from them as to speak to them, and hopes they will be able to feed in their views which she can pass on to ministers.

Ealing Hospital

Angie met with the Chief Executive of Ealing Hospital, Julie Lowe, to discuss the future of the hospital as merger plans between Ealing, Central Middlesex and Northwick Park hospitals are finalised.Julie Lowe explained that the merger talks will not finally decide on the future of the A&E department because there is to be a further review of all health service provision across North West London with a consultation starting on 28th June this year.

Angie made clear that given the very many patients that use the A&E department at Ealing Hospital, it is essential that they can continue to be looked after there. She also says that she hopes decisions will not be rushed to meet bureaucratic timetables because it is vital that any decisions taken are given proper consideration.

Meeting with Ark Schools

Ark Schools brought their plans for the new primary school in Acton to brief Angie on progress. Work on the school, on the Priory Centre site in the centre of Acton, is due to start in the Autumn, subject to planning permission being granted. The aim is to open the school to pupils in 2013 admitting 60 in the first year, and eventually rising to 450.

Angie (pictured left with Katie Oliver and Laurie Grist) says, "This is an important project. There is a shortage of school places in the borough and we need to increase them, especially at primary level as soon as possible. Ark Schools have a high reputation for excellence, and I'm delighted they have been chosen to set up and run this new school in Acton."