The programme is calling for volunteers to join its patient and public advisory group which will provide a voice for all Londoners and advise on plans to improve a range of NHS services.

Sir Cyril Chantler, (chair of the Board of the Great Ormond Street Hospital and of the King’s Fund), said:

“London has unique health needs. We are working to address health inequalities and create services that advantage all Londoners.

“Healthcare for London is about outcomes, not talk. We are already turning blueprints into action with the recent announcement of the capital’s first five polyclinics. We recognise that it is ultimately patients who make decisions about their NHS treatment and the advisory group will play a vital role in ensuring Londoners’ views are heard.

“We are looking for enthusiastic Londoners who want to see care in the capital improve, and who will positively contribute to the development of the plan to revolutionise healthcare.”

Members of the patient and public advisory group will comment and advise on Healthcare for London’s plans for improving services such as mental health, diabetes and maternity services. The commitment will include attending meetings based in central London approximately once a month.

Anyone interested in joining the group should contact Healthcare for London for an application pack and submit their completed application form by 5pm on 7 November 2008. This will be followed by a selection process to identify suitable candidates.

For more information, or to obtain an information pack:

Tel: 020 7932 2608
Email: hfl@london.nhs.uk
Visit: www.healthcareforlondon.nhs.uk/ppag

The Merton Partnership - a multi-agency partnership of local stakeholders, including bodies such as the council, the police and healthcare providers - say the plan will set out a blueprint of the borough’s aspirations for a safe, strong, healthy and vibrant borough.

The partnership is asking for residents’ comments to help it shape a plan that gives local people a clear vision of what they want Merton to be like ten years from the plan’s launch. If you live, work, go to school or are a regular visitor to the borough, the council is keen to hear your views on what you want Merton to be like and what can be done to make it a better place. 

Councillor David Williams, Leader of Merton Council and Chairman of the Merton Partnership said: “To ensure we can keep delivering the best services at good value for money we need to know what residents want, so please do get involved and help us build a community plan that works for you.”

A dedicated web page has been launched to gather people’s comments and the partnership is also building on the results of other public consultations and surveys which have taken place such as the annual residents’ survey.

Mr Barnes was joined by Mayoral advisor Alex Bax and leading figures from the hospice movement and NHS for event which saw volunteers, councils and hospice and healthcare staff to share ideas on how to improve end of life care.

Speaking ahead of the event Mr Barnes paid tribute to the capital’s hospices “for their vital and essential work.”

Barnes, who is London’s second most senior politician, added: “As part of the Mayor’s work to reduce health inequalities we are focussing on making services more accessible and looking at how the Mayor can help to ensure high quality of end of life care is available for all Londoners.”

According to NHS London, patients in the capital have to wait longer to see their GP than anywhere else in the country. It’s claimed that the new polyclinics, which combine multiple services on a single site, will reduce waiting times.

NHS London has released the following information on the initial five clinics:

Harrow PCT, Alexandra Avenue  – Services at this existing health and social care centre will be extended to include new GP practices, an expansion of outpatient services and access to diagnostics. An urgent care services will also be introduced. Up to six existing GP practices will be part of the network.

Hounslow PCT, Heart of Hounslow – The existing health centre will soon offer 7-day a week GP services and aims to extend outpatient and diagnostic provision. Up to seven existing practices will be part of the network.

Lambeth PCT, Gracefield Gardens –  Formally opened in June 08 the development is based on the existing health and social care centre, and from April 09 will include a 7-day a week GP access with hospital services such as outpatients and diagnostics. Up to 21 GP practices will be part of the network.

Redbridge PCT, Loxford Centre – The first purpose built polyclinic centre to open its doors in Spring 09 will be situated in the most deprived area of this borough. The centre will provide the full range of polyclinic services with extended access hours. Four practices will be part of the network.

Waltham Forest PCT – The PCT has a strategy for three polyclinic centres to serve the borough with at least one operational in Spring 09. The PCT is currently seeking providers to deliver the full range of polyclinic services in the most appropriate location.

NHS London Chief Executive Ruth Carnall described the clinics as “a London solution to a London problem.”

Carnall also said the clinics would “tackle two of the biggest problems in the capital, namely patients finding it difficult to get a GP appointment and the result which is people turning up at A&E when they should be seeing their family doctor.”

The Assembly will look at the underlying causes of alcohol misuse by young people which is can increase the risk of having unsafe sex and ending up in trouble with the police.

The eventual report will aim to make recommendations on the best approach to tackle the problem and Assembly members are calling people of all ages to send in their opinions and experiences.

James Cleverly AM, Chair of the Health and Public Services Committee said: “Underage drinking and alcohol misuse by young people is already beginning to have serious repercussions on public health and young people’s life prospects, and will continue to do so for future generations unless something is done to tackle the problem.”

Don Shenker, Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern described the Assembly’s investigation as “timely”.

Shenker added that: “for many young people experimentation with alcohol is a natural part of the transition into adulthood. Unfortunately, and for a complicated mix of reasons, youthful curiosity can sometimes give way to more harmful drinking patterns.”

Cleverly concluded: “We know that 1603 young people were admitted to London hospitals with alcohol-specific problems last year, but this is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg.”

“Our investigation will uncover the true scale of the problem, and I encourage Londoners to help us do that by sending us their views on this issue.”

Acting on a tip-off, Islington Council Trading Standards officers last week seized six bottles of apparently counterfeit vodka from a local store. Officers found suspected counterfeit vodka in a second store following a series of visits to local retailers.

Counterfeit bottles have also been found in the North of England and the Food Standards Agency is warning that the vodka contains excessive levels of methanol which is very dangerous and may have serious health implications, and should not be consumed.

Spar the Agency that the only legitimate route of purchase for their own label products is a Spar store and if offered for sale via any other means would be deemed suspect.

Since 1st of August a number of local authorities including Essex County Council, London Borough of Waltham Forest and London Borough of Islington have reported seizures of the counterfeit product.

Food Standards Agency on how to identify the counterfeit vodka:

The counterfeit SPAR Imperial Vodka has a hint of acetone smell (similar to nail varnish).

Bottles of the counterfeit samples are identified by the code QI:1445c and a smudged inkjet code reading that looks like 102234 04/08/02.

Legitimate bottles are notated by the following:

* 700ml66mm followed by two symbols and then the numbers 8809

There is no lot code present on the neck of the counterfeit bottle samples, whereas lot codes are present on all legitimate stock.

Members of the public are advised to report any counterfeit Spar
Imperial Vodka to their trading standards service at their local
authority.

Helping raise cash is easy - just get your friends, family or work colleagues together and make a small donation for the drink and treats enjoyed. Every pound raised will ensure a person receives information leaflets on their cancer, while £184 is enough to fund a Macmillan nurse for a day.

The charity is also launching its first ever recipe booklet ‘The little book of treats’, featuring some of the most indulgent recipes submitted by supporters and celebrities from across the UK. Copies are available from your local Somerfield, where you can also find special offers on coffee morning goodies that will help to raise even more money for Macmillan.

To register log on to www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee or call 0845 602 1246, enjoy your coffee morning and send the money in to Macmillan.

According to NHS London the capital has a low uptake of the vaccination and has seen a number of measles outbreaks over the past year.

Dr Simon Tanner, NHS London’s Regional Director for Public Health said many people consider the disease “to be a relatively minor childhood illness, but it can have serious complications.”

“London’s PCTs will be working together to improve the uptake of the MMR vaccine across the capital. Measles represents the single biggest avoidable infectious disease risk in London today. London has always had a low uptake of MMR, I hope this extra funding and campaign to follow will raise awareness amongst parents of the importance of getting their children vaccinated.”

Vaccination rates in London vary considerably with rates varying between 55% and 90%.

Announcing the appointment Mr Johnson said Boycott “is as passionate as I am about the importance of locally produced, affordable food to our health and well-being as well as the role food can play in protecting our environment. Rosie is bursting with great ideas on how we can boost the level of top-notch food grown locally and support London’s local, independent food industries and smaller shops.”

Boycott said she was “absolutely thrilled to be taking up the cause of food in London on behalf of the Mayor.”

Former chair of London Food and Green Party Assembly Member Jenny Jones said she supported Ms Boycott’s appointment, commenting:  “It is great that Rosie Boycott has taken over from me as chair of London Food. She is a high profile figure who will keep the London food strategy prominent as a mayoral priority.”

“I really hope that her experience as an organic farmer will help to bring a valuable insight to the challenges that farmers face, bring more local and regional food into the capital, help to reduce food inequality in the capital and reduce its huge ecological footprint”.

The Committee are inviting submissions on the following points:

• Whether there has been any change in levels of public nuisance, numbers of night-time offences or perceptions of public safety since the Act came into force;
• The impact of the Act on the performance of live music;
• The financial impact of the Act on sporting and social clubs;
• Whether the Act has led, or looks likely to lead, to a reduction in bureaucracy for those applying for licences under the new regime and for those administering it;
• Whether the anticipated financial savings for relevant industries will be realised.

Details of how to make a submission can be found on the Committee’s website.