Tuesday 19 February 2013

Shoebury Health Centre

When the issue of a new Shoebury Health Centre, I have always rejected to idea as I am aware any new medical centre in Shoebury will have to be funded by a private company (PFI) which could eventually leave the tax payer with the bill for the extortinate upkeep of this medical centre. However, my opinions have changed after reading the report on the Mid-Staffordshire hospital and the high death rate at the hospital and elderly people left on hospital trolleys in the A&E department, patient neglect and a general lack of compassionate staff. A new medical centre could potentially reduce un-necessary hospital admissions, there would be more choice to die at home, and mental health services could become localised and GP led, dementia and alzheimers are already GP led. There could also be minor operations at the centre which could reduce the risk of infection, improve recovery and reduce hospital waiting lists. All these services would be beneficial to the community and would create a localised service. The population of Shoebury has increased over the last ten years, this could be a good time for a new medical centre and to give something back to the people of Shoebury.

Saturday 2 February 2013

Rehabilitation of Offenders

In today's Southend Evening Echo there was an article about the conference on Wednesday with Nick Alston the new Police and Crime Commissioner. There was a quote in the Echo from a local Tory councillor who shall remain nameless, stating he is going to ask magistrates to give out tougher sentences. This is a contradiction to Chris Grayling's vision. Chris Grayling and the Minstry of Justice have instructed magistrates and crown courts to hand out more community based sentences to educate and rehabilitate offenders. Offering a holistic approach to a offenders is much more beneficial as this approach can address the underlying reasons why a person offends. Punitive sentence packages do not work for low risk offenders as statistics have shown they actually increase offending, young people see prison as a badge of honor and a criminal record gives a young person a identity and sense of importance. In my opinion there should be more restorative justice and the vicitim is in control and of the how the offender is sentenced, and the offender is more aware to the damage to the community and the victim, this should be the future of criminal justice.