We can’t save your bacon now Rob

Article in the Express & Star 5/6/2009 concerning our fight for better health care facilities in Great Barr. Good story this and pretty accurate precursor to our lobby of our MP. Headline: - Parties unite to call for surgery and clinic. “Labour and Lib Dems coming together to fight for much needed and overdue clinic”.

The reply from Robert Bacon chief Exec of the PCT is published (left). It’s the usual standard learned off by heart, heard it before, stuff.
It shows very clearly he has little idea of what is happening over here in Newton and I should like to point out to him again the flaws in his response. Four GP practises would just about cover the area if they were geographically in the right place. Unfortunately three quarters of them are on the wrong side of the canal leaving one practise to service the whole of south west side of the Ward. The plans he mentioned for delivering a new health care facility in the area by the end of 2011 are running three years late we have it in writing from him to West Brom Town Committee that work would start on this facility by March 2009. He mentions that these plans have been subject to wide consultation and this has included continuing discussion with Great Barr & Newton Community Forum. His idea of wide consultation and mine are miles apart. Yes they have talked to the forum mentioned but it is not representative of the demography of the area and it is not an elected body. The PCT do not regularly send a representative only a report with an apology which is often just a replay of what we already know. What our MP & Councillors are doing now is telling the PCT how it really is. They know from questionnaires that have been carried out during election campaigns and from door step canvassing and listening to their constituents how important this health facility is to our area.
The excuse of looking at sites and rejecting them will not play any longer. Tell us these sites, let’s go along and review them. No more bullshit about commercial sensitivity. The strategy of delaying the project only brings the spectre of the new clinic going to Aston or Handsworth closer. We believe this is the PCT preferred option because it would shift the responsibility to Heart of Birmingham PCT this option is totally unacceptable to us.
So Rob you have little choice as far as I’m concerned. You have and are failing the people of Great Barr and you must now consider your position. You are not listening. I have tried several times to draw your attention to this only to have been ignored.
Just in case he misses the blog I’ll email a copy to his boss.