Hillsborough survivor welcomes new probes

NEWS that police wrong-doing at Hillsborough will be the subject of two major investigations has been welcomed by a survivor of the tragedy.

Last week, 56-year-old Kelvin “Kelly” Davies (pictured right), who works as a machine operator at the Dobson & Crowther factory in Llangollen, gave his harrowing account to llanblogger of how he narrowly survived the human crush at the Sheffield Wednesday stadium, which claimed the lives of 96 fans in April, 1989.  

He told of how he watched a young boy die beside him but was himself plucked to safety by a friend and carried away from the body-strewn terraces by fellow Liverpool fans on an advertising hoarding torn from the side of the pitch.

It has now been announced that two separate probes are to be carried out into the disaster by  the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is the police watchdog body, and the Director of Public prosecutions.

They will both be looking at whether crimes were committed by the police.

The IPCC said both serving and former officers would be investigated over the deaths of the fans and they will consider if individuals or corporate bodies should be charged.

The Hillsborough Independent Panel last month revealed 164 police statements were altered - 116 of them to remove or change negative comments about the policing of the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the Sheffield stadium.

It said police and emergency services had made "strenuous attempts" to deflect the blame for the disaster on to fans.

The panel also found that 41 of the 96 who died had the "potential to survive" and calls have been made for fresh inquests.

Kelly Davies, who lives in Rhosymedre, said: “I welcome both these investigations.

“The report by the Hillsborough Independent Panel last month opened up a can of worms and these new inquiries which have been announced are unprecedented in British legal history.

“Now I want to see this taken one step further and the inquests into the disaster re-opened.

“This time there should be verdicts of corporate manslaughter rather than accidental death.”

Mr Davies, who stills sees images of the boy who died beside him in the crush of the terraces, added: “It is wrong that it has taken 23 years to get where we are today with this.

“For those of us who were there that day this has been hanging over our heads all that time.

“At the time The Sun newspaper said awful things about how Liverpool fans behaved and mud sticks.

“For years and years it has been as though we were to blame for the deaths of our 96 fans.”

Deputy chair of the IPCC Deborah Glass said "without a shadow of a doubt" it would be the biggest ever investigation carried out into police behaviour in the UK.

Both South Yorkshire Police, who dealt with the tragedy, and West Midlands Police, who investigated how South Yorkshire handled the disaster, will come under scrutiny.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC,  said in a statement: “Having read and considered the report published by the Hillsborough Independent Panel on 12 September 2012 and liaised with the Home Office and Independent Police Complaints Commission, I have concluded that the Crown Prosecution Service should consider all the material now available in relation to the tragic events on 15 April 1989, including the material made available by the Independent Panel.

“The purpose of this exercise is to identify what the focus of any further criminal investigation should be in order for the CPS to determine whether there is now sufficient evidence to charge any individual or corporate body with any criminal offence. All potential offences that may have been committed and all potential defendants will be considered.

“In carrying out this exercise, the CPS will work closely with the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

“Through the Right Reverend James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool, I have today communicated my decision to the bereaved families and their representatives and indicated that, in conjunction the IPCC, the CPS intends to keep them fully informed of developments and to take such views as they express into account.”

AM welcomes new young people's scheme

 

 * Gwenda Thomas, Deputy Minister for Children

and Social Services, with Ken Skates at

the launch of the scheme.

 

Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates has welcomed the launch of a new Welsh Government scheme to help young people in care make a successful transition to adult life.

Back in January he proposed a Private Members Bill in the Assembly to ensure looked after children could stay with their current foster carer after the age of 18 should they wish to do so.

After receiving cross-party support in the Assembly, the Welsh Government agreed to work with the AM to bring forward its own scheme which it has launched for a 12-week consultation today.

It comes as the latest statistics on looked after children show the numbers of children in care has risen 6% in the last year and 24% in the last five years.

Mr Skates said: “I’m delighted that the Welsh Government takes seriously the issues facing care leavers and is launching this new scheme to support young people as they make the important transition from care to adult life.

“The challenges faced by any young person as they make the move into adult life are very great indeed, but for those in care it can be especially daunting. This new scheme, ‘When I Am Ready’, is designed to give young people approaching the end of care the same firm foundations to begin adult life as their peers.

“It’s designed to give them the chance to extend the period in which they remain in a supportive environment and stop some of our most fragile and most vulnerable young people from leaving the care system abruptly and setting up for a life on their own without the skills they need to thrive.

“Though children in care are a lot safer than they were a decade ago, many lack the educational qualifications, housing support and emotional help they need to flourish in adulthood straight away and struggle as a consequence. Families continue to give help and support to their own children well after the age of 18 and we as corporate parents need to be doing the same thing.

“There is no ‘silver bullet’ to the challenges of being in care, but‘When I Am Ready’ is designed to be a constructive system of support that can offer a chance for care leavers to make a success of their young lives.”

The proposed scheme“When I Am Ready” will offer eligible children the opportunity to stay with their foster carers beyond the age of 18. This recognises that not all young adults are ready to move to living on their own, especially if they are vulnerable or have complex health, learning or other needs.

This scheme would also allow young people to complete their education or training without surrendering the support network that they are used to.

A 12-week consultation on the scheme begins today (Tuesday, 9 October) and there will also be a young-persons version of the consultation so the Welsh Government can get the views of young people themselves in care.

Gwenda Thomas, Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services, said: “This is great news for young people in foster care. Many of these young people have already had disrupted lives and they may lack the stable support network needed to move on to independent living, yet this can happen when they are much younger than their peers.

“Councils will need to be creative and innovative in implementing the scheme in their areas and reflect this in their commission of placements for 18 to 21-year-old care leavers.

“This scheme is about offering young people choice and control over their placement and giving them support when they decide they are ready to move on.

“I’d like to thank Ken Skates AM for addressing this very important issue and for the work he has done consulting organisations and young people on what they would want from this scheme.”

Meeting pledges to fight for Llan health services

* Mabon Ap Gwynfor addresses the audience at the public meeting.

PEOPLE in Llangollen are not going to let their community hospital go without a fight.

That was the message which came from a packed public meeting at The Hand Hotel in the town last night (Monday).

Attended by around 60 people, it was called by the newly-formed action group opposing controversial plans by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to close the Cottage Hospital and replace it with a new health centre, possibly on the site of the derelict River Lodge hotel just down the road.

People at the meeting took up the invitation from members of Keep Llangollen Health Services to write letters opposing the plans to the BCUHB and to patients’ watchdog body the Community Health Council.

A number put pen to paper at the meeting.

They also signed a protest petition which has been going around Llangollen for the past few weeks and currently contains over 1,000 local names.

KLHS member Maria Haines said there were a number of concerns about the board’s proposals and that it was essential local people expressed their opinions before the official public consultation ends on October 28.

She explained that while local people might want to see a new health centre provided, many were unhappy the board had already said it would not offer the same range of facilities as the Cottage Hospital, including care beds and a minor injuries unit.

There was also fears the board might not be able to attract the necessary finance to pay for the new centre and, even if it did, there could be a gap of two-three years between the hospital closing and the new centre being opened, she claimed.

She added there were further worries about who would pay for the enhanced community care for the elderly which the board says will replace care beds at the hospital.

Ms Haines said: “We need to ask the health board to look again at this and come up with more options.”

Another group member Mabon Ap Gwynfor branded the health board’s proposals as “a sham and faulty” and said they would end up costing more to implement than any savings they would achieve.

He added: “I would urge everyone to send in letters setting out their views about these proposals to the health board and the Community Health Council.

“They should know the strength of feeling there is in Llangollen.

“We are not going to let the hospital go without a fight.”

* The address to write to at the health board is: Mary Burrows, Chief Executive, Freepost RSZZ-SGXY-TSEZ, Bertsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Matthew House Unit 35, Llys Edmund Prys, St Asaph Business Park, St Asaph, LL17 0JA.

* Address of the Betsi Cadwaladr Community Health Council is: Cartrefle, Cefn Road, Wrexham, LL13 9NH.

Health chief happy about shake-up plans debate

A health chief says he is pleased with the “lively and robust” debate which has taken place so far on plans for a major shake-up of services in the region.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is currently consulting on proposals for changes to healthcare services in North Wales.

These include a controversial proposal to shut down Llangollen Cottage Hospital and replace it with a new health centre in the town, which will be the subject of a public meeting at The Hand Hotel at 7pm tonight (Monday).

The consultation closes on October 28 and the health board says it is keen for as many people as possible to share their views before the deadline.

The board’s executive director of planning Neil Bradshaw said: “We have already had many people coming forward to offer their views, take part in debates and suggest alternative approaches.  

“We have been pleased with the lively and robust debate we have had so far.  

“As the consultation period draws to a close, we want to take this opportunity to encourage as many people as possible to share their views and opinions with us before the Health Board makes any decisions.”

Key areas for consultation are:

· Healthcare services where you live (Localities and Community services)

· Older People Mental Health services

· Neonatal Intensive Care

· Vascular and Major Arterial surgery 

The board’s chief executive Mary Burrows said:  “The health board is clear that we cannot afford to stand still. The status quo is not an option.  

“The proposals we are now making are intended to change the way in which services are provided and where they are provided to meet quality standards.  

“Our aim is to improve health, not just extend life. We believe that services should be close to where people live whenever it is safe and appropriate. When more specialist care is needed, hospitals must be centres of excellence so the best possible care is available when needed and from the right people.” 

If the board decides to go ahead with proposals, changes will start in early 2013 with the aim of finishing the process by 2015. 

Consultation responses can be made and more information is available:-

· online at www.bcuhbjointhedebate.wales.nhs.uk and completing the online questionnaire

· by emailing jointhedebate@wales.nhs.uk

· by calling Freephone 0800 678 5297

· by writing to BCUHB Join the Debate, FREEPOST RSZZ-SGXY-TSEZ, LL17 0JA

A large print version or other formats or languages are available on request from Freephone 0800 678 5297 or email at jointhedebate@wales.nhs.uk.

You can also give your comments to the Community Health Council, your independent NHS Watchdog. You can give your views in confidence at yourvoice@bcchc.org.uk or by telephone on 01248 679284.

"Save our services" campaign gains momentum

Llangollen’s community campaign to save its local health services is gaining momentum with a call by Assembly Member Llyr Gruffydd for a guarantee about continuing care in the town

Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru’s North Wales AM, said: “Evidence is emerging that the plan by Betsi Cadwaladr to close Llangollen’s hospital and place patients in private nursing homes doesn’t really hold water. Even as an interim move this won’t work because the capacity isn’t there locally.

“The other part of the plan involves building a new health centre in the town without beds. But it is again becoming apparent that this will take years to achieve and, in the meantime, people needing localised care would be left high and dry.

“The capital needed to build a new health centre would come from the Welsh Government, which is facing drastic cuts in the block grant from central government.

 

"Does Betsi Cadwaladr have an assurance that the money it needs to build a new health centre is available? We need a guarantee that Llangollen will not be left in limbo with no hospital and no health centre.”

He added that the consultation by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board was revealing many unanswered questions on this and other proposed cuts and downgrading of local hospitals such as Ruthin and Chirk.

 

Mr Gruffydd said: “I fully support the Keep Llangollen Health Services campaign to improve local healthcare in the Vale of Llangollen. The loss of services in rural areas is already very keenly felt and this is yet another example of an area of south Denbighshire potentially losing a key service.”

Health chiefs accused of "selling assets"

* The house up for sale on Abbey Road.

 

Health chiefs have been accused of selling off their assets in Llangollen even before they have finished consulting about a major shake-up of services which will radically affect the town. 

The charge comes from a member of campaign group Keep Lllangollen Health Services, which has organised a public meeting tonight  (Monday) on the proposal by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to close the Cottage Hospital and replace it with a new health centre, possibly on the site of the derelict River Lodge just down the road. 

Group member Martin Crumpton has released a statement in which he says: “Even before the end of the consultation period, Betsi Cadwaladr have made a tactical move to begin selling off its assets in Llangollen.” 

And he gives an internet link to the property-for-sale website Rightmove which gives details of a three-storey Victorian house, known as Dol Afon Villas, on Abbey Road. 

This, says the description, has been put on the market “on the instructions of Betsi Cadwaladr University”. 

It has an asking price of £125,000.      

Mr Crumpton says in his statement: “ The property is on the Cottage Hospital site and within a car’s width of the hospital itself.

“The asking price is well below the asking price for such a property, so they’re hoping for a quick sale – a fait accompli.” 

He adds: “This proves what we already know – Betsi Cadwaladr cannot be trusted. 

“This will be raised at the public meeting by Keep Llangollen Health Services on Monday, October 15, 7pm, Hand Hotel, Llangollen. Please be there.”

Millions "better off" with new benefit, says AM

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood claims 2.8 million people will be better off under the UK Government’s Universal Credit.

Questioning the Minister for Finance in the Senedd over Welsh Government engagement with the UK Government in relation to Universal Credit, Mr Isherwood (pictured left) emphasised that Universal Credit will lift around 900,000 children and adults of poverty.

He also asked the Minister: “What engagement has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government on the design of the Universal Credit, with regard to which the UK Government has pledged that claimants who are not yet ready to budget for themselves on a monthly basis will be protected and assisted onto the new system?”

Speaking outside the Chamber, Mr Isherwood, who earlier this year welcomed news that Universal Credit, as well as being simpler for people to use, will leave the average household £25 better off a week, added: “These reforms are not about saving money. The UK Government are actually spending £2 billion more on Universal Credit than under the current system.

"They are also investing an additional £300 million into childcare support under Universal Credit, on top of £2 billion already spent under the current system. This will mean that around 80,000 more families with children will benefit from childcare support for the first time by removing the hours rule.

"Universal Credit is the most radical redesign of the benefits system this country has ever seen. It will replace the current costly, outdated process with a digital system that will be simpler to use and make work pay.”