Current Issues
Click on the subject you wish to read about:
Neighbourhood Watch Notices, Fly Infestation, Heathrow 3rd Runway, Graffiti, Burglar Alarms
Kingfisher Gardens, Age Concern, NHS Primary Care Changes, Dogs, Speeding Vehicles
The police operate a system called "Ringmaster" which they use to alert local communities to urgent problems occurring in their area. Messages that concern Richings Park residents will be posted here.
If you have any information about the following messages that is of an urgent nature please contact the police enquiry centre on 0845 8 505 505 and state that you are responding to a Ringmaster message.
Message Received 18/11/08
A burglary occurred at a property in Main Drive, Richings Park between 3.45 and 7.00pm on Sunday 16 November. The side gate was forced open with bodily pressure and then an attempt was made to jemmy the patio door before smashing the glass. Two large TVs were stolen which would probably have required the offender to use a vehicle. Crime Ref: GC 3221157/08
Message Received 11/11/08
You are invited to attend a beat surgery on Thursday 11 December between 8.30 and 10.30am at the train station, between 11.00am and 1.00pm at Cornerstone and between 1.30pm and 3.30pm in Syke Cluan
Message Received 4/11/08
A burglary occurred at a property in Richings Way, Iver between 4.00 and 10.00pm on Sunday 2 November. The kitchen window was smashed to gain entry and after an untidy search, items including perfume were stolen. Crime Ref: GC 3211402/08
A visiting car parked on the driveway of a property in Richings Way, Iver had the rear passenger window smashed and a handbag stolen from the rear floor area between 8.30 and 9.50pm on Sunday 2 November. Crime Ref: GC 3211400/08
Message Received 27/10/08
Overnight between Thursday 23 - Friday 24 October, the building site at 23 Skye Cluan, which is being developed by Banner Homes was broken into. Although nothing was taken at this time the builders believe the offenders were checking out the site and will be back. Please keep a look out and if you see anything suspicious, especially after the workmen leave at the end of the day, call the police immediately.
Message Received 21/10/08
A property in Old Slade Lane, Iver was broken into between 12.20 and 7.30pm on Monday 20 October. Entry was gained via a rear sliding door and the alarm triggered. A TV was stolen. Crime Ref: GC 3202224/08
Messages Received 10/10/08
An attempted burglary occurred at a property in Syke Cluan, Iver at around 4:15am on Thursday 9 October. Offender/s have tried to force entry via a window, though were disturbed by the occupant and fled. No entry was gained. Crime report GC3193713/08.
In Somerset Way, Iver a property suffered an attempted break. The incident occurred overnight between Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 October. Offender/s have forced the connecting garage door, though did not gain entry to the property. Crime report GC3193833/08.
Messages Received 07/10/08
Thefts From Motor Vehicles are on the increase and there have also been several reports of workmen's vans being broken into whilst undertaking building works, etc. One particular suspicious vehicle believed to be used in recent crimes is a white Mercedes van registration KM04 EOY. Do call the police on 0845 8 505 505 if you see this vehicle or wish to report any suspicious persons or vehicles.
Recent incidents have occurred in Stoke Poges Lane and Plough Lane in Stoke Poges, Main Drive, Richings Park, Cobblers Close, Farnham Royal and in Beaconsfield Burkes Road, and Gregories Road. Although some vehicles were left insecure, offenders will also break into vehicles if they believe there are valuables to be had. Setting the alarm will probably frighten any offenders away but taking extra care on where and how vehicles are parked may also be a deterrent. If you have workmen at your home, please bring this advice to their attention and pass on this information to scheme and family members and friends.
Messages Received 06/10/08
Following recent intelligence received from Trading Standards we would like to make you aware that bogus traders may be cashing in on the government's new initiative offering "Free home insulation checks." Please remember previous notifications not to deal with unknown doorstep traders. Also if you receive a leaflet from an unknown trader think carefully before dealing with them - it might be bogus. Do pass on this information to your scheme members, friends and family who may also be at risk.
Message Received 17/09/08
PC Jim McGuiness would like to warn you of a prolific Rogue Trader who may be moving into the Thames Valley area. He is under investigation in Surrey and may now move here as he has previously worked in this area. He is known to employ foreign workers. He trades under the names of A1 Roofing and also City New Roofs Ltd and is registered with Companies House, although moves are being made to try to remove him. He has an English accent and may cold call on elderly or vulnerable occupants and flyers may also be posted. Please call the police immediately on 0845 8 505 505 if you believe this man is operating in your neighbourhood.
Please warn any elderly or vulnerable scheme members, friends or family members to be careful when agreeing to have work done by such callers - the best way being to use recommended tradesmen and to get more than one estimate. It is also important not to hand over final payment until work has been completed to your satisfaction.
Message Received 16/09/08
A property in Thorney Lane South, Iver suffered a burglary between 2.25 and 4.20pm on Friday 12 September. A rear patio door was forced to gain entry and a search of the whole house undertaken. TVs, laptops, an iPod, items of jewellery and some cash were among items stolen. Exit may have been via the front door. The property had been the target of an attempted break-in about a week ago. Crime Ref: GC 3176303/08
Message Received 08/09/08
F
ollowing a number of reports last week of suspicious persons and vehicles in the Richings Park area PC 5968 Hayley Edwards would ask you to remain vigilant. The incidents included males knocking on doors trying to sell items and unknown vehicles loitering in residential areas. Do report any further such incidents to the police immediately on 0845 8 505 505 with as much detail as possible or if you believe a crime is being committed call 999.Message Received 04/09/08
This is a message from PC Caroline Tailor, Iver Neighbourhood Police Team. Police are appealing for information in the following suspicious incident.
On Tuesday 2nd September 2008 a Grey Rover registration N491 VJW was seen acting suspiciously in Syke Cluan in Richings Park. The occupants of the vehicle were seen to enter a building site. This vehicle has since been sighted in Wellesley Avenue on the 3rd of September 2008.
Please could all residents be vigilant and if there are any sightings of this vehicle please call Thames Valley Police on 0845 8 505 505 or contact your neighbourhood policing team at Iver Police Station on 01753 650815. Quoting URN 633 / 02.09.08. Alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Message Received 28/08/08
A burglary occurred at a property in Richings Way, Iver between 1.55 and 2.50pm on Monday 25 August. A front window was forced to gain entry and the occupant's car was taken plus a laptop, TV and personal documents. The car was found with the engine still running a little further down the road. Crime Ref: GC 3163712/08
Messages Received 20/08/08
A commercial premises in Court Lane, Iver suffered a break-in between 6.00pm on Thursday 14 and 6.30am on Friday 15 August. A portacabin door was forced and after an untidy search among items stolen were a computer hard-drive and digital camera. A screwdriver was found at the scene. Crime Ref: GC 3156116/08
A property in Bathurst Walk suffered a burglary some time between 7.30pm on Friday 15 and 11.00am on Monday 18 August. A rear bedroom window was the point of entry and exit was via the rear door. After an untidy search, a laptop and items of jewellery were stolen. Crime Ref: GC 3158221/08
PC 5968 Hayley Edwards is appealing for information following a burglary at a property in Thorney Lane South, Richings Park between 7.00am and 6.00pm on Monday 18 August. Entry was gained by smashing a small window next to the front door and exit was via the rear patio door. Various electrical items were stolen after an untidy search of the whole house. Crime Ref: GC 3158595/08
Message Received 15/08/08
A new website called "Judge for Yourself" has been launched to allow the public get a better understanding of how community sentencing for individual offenders work.
Its interactive design will have virtual on-line depictions of the process behind sentencing offenders and will be useful for anyone trying to understand more about community sentencing.
Visit the website at www.ezstream.co.uk/coi/
Messages Received 12/08/08
An attempted burglary occurred at a property in Wood Lane, Iver overnight of Friday 8 to Saturday 9 August. Offenders used a plant pot to smash a ground floor window but it is believed no entry was gained. Crime Ref: GC 3152200/08
A property in Old Slade Lane, Iver suffered a break-in at around 1.40am on Sunday 10 August. A side window was forced and ornaments from the windowsill were found on the ground outside. The alarm was activated and the occupant saw two shadowy figures making off towards Richings Park. Crime Ref: GC 3152702/08
Messages Received 06/08/08
On Saturday 2nd August 2008 at approximately 9.30pm an attempt burglary occurred on Bathurst Walk, Richings Park, Iver.
A female resident, alone at the property was frightened by a white male attempting to gain entry via her front door. The male ran away when the resident looked out of her window. No entry was gained nor was any damage to the property caused.
If any resident has any information regarding this incident, or observed any persons or vehicles seen acting suspiciously in the area, please contact Thames Valley Police quoting Crime reference number GC 3147886/08.
Message Received 03/07/08
A property was broken into in Somerset Way, Iver overnight between Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 July. Offender/s forced a window and searched the property. Crime report GC3125277/08.
If you have any information please contact the police on 0845 8 505 505.
Message Received 03/07/08
Following a parking enforcement day held on 24 June, in the Iver area, only 6 parking tickets were issued in total. These were all in Bathurst Walk, Richings Park. No other offences were identified, despite high visibility patrols throughout the day. Officers will continue to patrol the area and and deal with any parking issues accordingly.
Message Received 19/5/08
PC 6044 Caroline Tailor is appealing for information following a burglary which occurred at Richings Park Sports Club, Wellesley Avenue, Richings Park at around 5.30pm on Tuesday 13 May. A white male with dark brown hair entered the club and stole an amount of cash.
If you were in the area between 5.00 and 6.00pm on that day and saw any person or vehicle acting suspiciously, please contact the police quoting Crime Ref: GC 3090268/08 on 0845 8 505 505. If calling please mention you are responding to a Ringmaster message.
Message Received 14/5/08
An attempted break-in occurred at a shop on Wellesley Avenue, Iver some time between 9.15pm on Friday 9 and 7.00am on Saturday 10 May. The shutter locks were forced but the offenders were unable to open the electric shutters. Crime Ref: GC 3087658/08
If you have any information on the above incidents or wish to report any suspicious persons or vehicles, please contact the police on 0845 8 505 505. If calling please mention you are responding to a Ringmaster message.
Message Received 16/4/08
Thames Valley Police have published the end of year crime statistics up until the end of March 2008. If you would like to view them please click on the following link:
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/press/090408_performance.htm
Messages Received 15/4/08
A property in Bathurst Walk, Iver suffered an opportunist burglary at around 2.00pm on Saturday 12 April. It is believed the front and rear doors were insecure which allowed the offender to enter and remove an amount of cash from one handbag and a mobile phone, credit cards and set of keys from another. Crime Ref: GC 3068430/08
A burglary occurred at a property in Somerset Way between 00.30 and 5.00am on Monday 14 April. Entry is believed to have been gained via the front door and an iPod, mobile phone, laptop, camera, items of jewellery, handbag containing purse and keys were all stolen. Crime Ref: GC 3069610/08
If you have any information on the above incidents or wish to report any suspicious persons or vehicles, please contact the police on 0845 8 505 505. If calling please mention you are responding to a Ringmaster message.
Message Received 5/4/08:
Police are appealing
for sightings of a blue Rover 827 Veh Reg: M320 TVW which
is believed to be involved in theft from motor vehicles and burglary
dwellings,
particularly in the early to late evenings.
Please call the police immediately on 08458 505 505 with any sightings.
Descriptions of the occupants is also needed.
The Richings Park area has experienced a problem with small flies with the most likely source being the Iver Sludge Treatment Works located over the M4 down Old Slade Lane. Two other potential sources of the flies – The Colnbrook Landfill and the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) run by Grundons – are in the process of being investigated by a consultant Entomologist working for Thames Water. It is important that these two locations are investigated and excluded as a source before focus can be placed on the Iver Sludge site. To date, Environmental Health Officers of both South Bucks District Council and Slough Borough Council have been monitoring the effects of the control efforts (chemical control) by Thames Water. To this end, they have asked if we could submit regular updates on infestations to assist them in this task. The Residents Association have taken on the task of collecting and collating these fly activity reports. If you wish to report an incident of flies at your home then please click the link below which opens up a specially designed form which we would ask you to complete
The government have recently concluded what they termed a 'consultation exercise' on the plans to expand Heathrow. To this end you probably received in the post a rather lengthy and not-too-easy-to-understand questionnaire about this. It was also available on the internet.
Harmondsworth and Sipson Residents' Association provided their members with a useful analysis of this questionnaire and some suggestions as to model answers. They also provided us with a copy which you can download from here.
The consultation period closed on February 27th and we now await publication of the results.
Towards the end of the consultation period we learned that BAA had revised the take-off routes for the third runway as shown in the consultation document and, as a result, increased the noise footprint over the southern part of Richings Park. There now appears to be a property blight created around Old Slade Lane, The Poynings, and The Ridings.
A map of the expected noise contour lines has been produced by the Government. The map itself, which covers a wide area of the Thames Valley can be found by clicking HERE. This will allow you to scroll, pan and zoom around the area.
The section that affects us alone can be seen by clicking HERE. This shows that 3 contour lines cross Richings Park. The furthest South line represents a noise level of 66DBA. This equates to such a serious level that home owners should be able to sell their homes to BAA for market price plus moving compensation. The next line represents 63DBA, which is half the noise level of the previous contour. This would entitle home owners for sound- proofing payments. The third line which represents 60DBA, and yet another halving of noise level, does not qualify for compensation. The last line to cross us, at the northern tip of Richings Park is 57DBA which leads to yet another halving of noise level. These noise levels have been calculated as averages during the day and thus will be exceeded whenever a take-off flies directly overhead.
At our Annual General Meeting on April 23, 2008 we invited Geraldine Nicholson, the Chairman of NOTRAG ( No Third Runway Action Group ), to address the meeting and answer questions on this subject. She recently featured on a recent edition of The London Programme on television and a clip from that programme can be viewed using the YouTube link below.
Graffiti is the illegal or unauthorised defacing of a building, wall or other edifice or object by painting or otherwise marking it with words, pictures or symbols.
Graffiti lowers the tone of a neighbourhood and Richings Park is suffering at the present time. The most practical way to deter it is to remove it as soon as possible.
Offensive graffiti is a criminal act. If you see any graffiti you should report it as soon as possible. You should report it to both the Council and the Police. Details are as follows:-
a) To the clerk of the Parish Council, Glenda Collins telephone 01753 655331, who collates a list of locations for graffiti removal and passes it on to South Bucks District Council.
b) To South Bucks district council. You can write, telephone or use the Internet. Telephone: 01895 837200. Internet: www.southbucks.gov.uk/policing_public_safety/crime_and_law_enforcement/, then for general information click on Graffiti removal policy, and then to report it click on the Graffiti reporting form which will enable you to report it on their website.
c) To the Police on their non emergency telephone no. 0845 8 505505 and request a Unique Reference Number for future use if you need to report it elsewhere. Or, if you prefer you can telephone Crime Stoppers anonymous on 0800 555 111 to record graffiti offences.
d) If it is on Railway property then report it to the British Transport police on 0800 40 50 40.
Helpful information to supply when you report graffiti:-
a) Tag information. A tag is the stylised signature of a graffiti offender. It usually takes the form of several letters in a particular arrangement to tell his/her peer group who defaced the surface. More than one conviction has been obtained on the basis of tag identification. If you have a digital camera to photograph it then that can provide useful visual evidence for the Council and the Police.
b) The nature of the graffiti eg is it offensive or just plain defacement?
c) The exact location (which may need more than a simple address) of the graffiti and whose property it is written upon.
South Bucks District Council Policy is to endeavour to remove general graffiti on Council land or property within 10 working days of it being reported. The aim for Offensive Graffiti is reduced to 2 working days.
If the graffiti is not on Council property or land it is the responsibility of the property owner to have it removed (this includes the utility supply companies, transport, telephone, royal mail post boxes, etc.). The aim is to try to ensure graffiti removal within a reasonable time in such instances. The Council has the power to issue a "Graffiti removal notice" requiring an owner to remove graffiti from private land (this could take a month or more).
You may have have read in the February issue of Iver Parish Magazine that County Councillor Alan Oxley has allocated some money for use by the Parish Council to remove graffiti.
Richings Park is looking for residents living near cable distribution boxes to "adopt" the box and keep it clear of graffiti. Iver Parish Council may be able to supply paint for this purpose. If we can actively clean up the area and KEEP it clean (that is the essential part and this may take a while before the vandals tire of rewriting their tags) then Richings Park becomes a more attractive area. If you would like to “adopt” a box then please contact your Residents Association road warden who can help you obtain the materials.
Targets for graffiti include cable boxes, post boxes, electrical sub stations, street name signs, any hoardings and even brickwork - the trick is to endeavour to remove the graffiti within 24 hours after first photographing it with a digital camera. The photograph can then be forwarded to the police and council which will help them identify the offender(s).
Breaking News - April 2nd, 2008
PC 6044 Caroline Tailor, your local Neighbourhood Specialist Officer, is pleased to report that three youths have been arrested in connection to graffiti offences following a joint venture with the parish council.
PCSO Bates and PCSO Moat working with the parish clerk and members of the parish council services worked tirelessly to identify and evidence graffiti tags sprayed in the local area. This is not only an eyesore for the local residents and the community in general but the cleaning and repair of the damage is the responsibility of the council.
It is hoped that these arrests will deter any other potential graffiti vandals and send a message that the police will not tolerate this behaviour in the future. Please report any incidents of criminal damage or anti-social behaviour to the police on 0845 8 505 505 or if you wish to remain anonymous to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
If you wish to speak to PC Tailor or PC Edwards they can be contacted by asking for Iver Police station on the 0845 8 number.
Many houses in Richings Park have a burglar alarm. However, the rules have changed in the last few years about these intruder alarms.
“Bell only” alarms deter intruders and may alert the neighbours, but they no longer give an automatic police response. The police will respond to an activated alarm only if an unlawful entry has been reported.
The reason is simple - of the twenty-eight thousand alarm calls in 2005 in the Thames Valley area the false activation rate was over 90%!
In addition, if your alarm was not professionally installed and maintained then it is no longer a requirement by Thames Valley Police to notify them of any keyholders.
Quite simply if your alarm goes off when you are away, whether at work or on holiday, you are relying on your neighbours to check that everything is OK, see if there has been a forced entry, and call the police if there has. So it makes sense to let the neighbour have a door key, or at least the phone number of someone nearby who does.
If a neighbour reports to you that your alarm goes off quite often, then it really does merit looking into closely. Is it set up properly? Are there motion sensors that can be triggered by a curtain blowing in a breeze? If a radio system, is it on the same frequency as a nearby system, causing interference between the two?
If in doubt, it is worth getting professional advice, because a series of false alarms may well start the “cry wolf” syndrome and make the whole exercise rather pointless.
More people are now having a remotely monitored alarm system installed. This is a professional installation, which when activated notifies a 24/7 monitoring centre run by the company, which can check the validity of the call, and then notify the police.
Obviously such a system costs more to maintain, but for many the extra peace of mind is worthwhile.
If you are interested in a monitored system,
Yellow Pages will list established firms. The Police advise you look
for a company registered by the National Security Inspectorate that
bears the NSI, NACOSS or SSAIB approval.
It is also well worth asking the advice of neighbours and colleagues who
already have a good alarm system and are happy with the service they
received.
Household insurance companies may also offer advice and/or a discount
for installing such a system.
It is recommended that you get at least three quotations for any work.
For useful web pages on this subject see the "Useful Links" section of this website.
Kingfisher Gardens - Community Garden
This land has a chequered history. It stands on what is virtually an island between the Colne Brook and the millstream from the Colne Brook. The original mill that gave Thorney Mill Road its name stood on the north side of the road between the two streams and this land on the south side was the site of the mill barn. The land eventually passed into local authority ownership. It was offered for sale and eventually was owned by a family of travellers who built on the site without planning permission and there followed a protracted legal action which finally resulted in the land being compulsorily purchased by South Bucks District. It was left in a disgusting state for many years.
Richings Park Resident’s Association encouraged by South Bucks District and supported by Ground Work Thames Valley applied for a grant from “Living Spaces” to establish a community garden on this site. With support in kind from Bardons (Aggregate Industries), and Simpsons, financial grants from South Bucks District, Ground Work Thames Valley and the Residents’ Association and money from a local resident’s companies a total project expenditure of over £43,000 has resulted in the creation of this community garden.
The Chairman of South Bucks District Council officially opened the garden on Sunday 2nd April at 2pm when all those who were involved in the regeneration of this site were in attendance. Music was provided by the West Wycombe Brass band and a bar and light refreshments were laid on.
Following the garden's completion, on-going maintenance has fallen to the Residents' Association to perform. This has been done by outsourcing to a local contractor at a cost to the Association's funds. We are now fortunate that a sponsor has come forward, Paynes Metal Recycling on the Court Lane Industrial Estate. Paynes have made a donation to our funds that covers these costs for this year, 2008-2009.
Allan Radcliffe, the South Bucks Co-ordinator of Age Concern, has asked us to appeal for volunteers to assist them in their important work.
Can you spare an hour a week to visit and befriend a local lonely elderly person, to have a chat and keep them company? Are you a Handyman who can carry out simple DIY jobs for an elderly person? Perhaps you know of a lonely elderly person in your area who would benefit from such a visit?
If you can help with any of the above please contact Allan on 01494 711319 who will give you further details.
NHS Consultation
The NHS are seeking to make a number of changes to the way that GP practices deliver primary care to the community. To this end, the NHS have issued consultation documents and have staged a number of public meetings. Below you will find the transcript of a Question & Answer session held at such a meeting for East Berks on April 1st, 2008.
ACCESS TO SERVICES
Q: What is meant by “Care closer to home”? What distance is “closer” ?
A: “Care closer to home” means providing more services in local settings such as community hospitals or GP surgeries. So, for example. for simple tests such as blood tests, patients will not have to go to High Wycombe or Slough – they will get these increasingly from GP surgeries and local health centres. There will also be specialists coming out from hospital to local centres. So hopefully, “closer” will mean 2/3 miles, not 10.
Q: Will GPs pay for this?
A: No, the PCT will pay. But it will be more cost effective as it is expensive to provide treatment in hospital if it’s not essential to be in hospital.
Q: Until recently, we used to go to Outpatient appointments in Wexham Park but now we are being sent to Maidenhead and Ascot, which are less accessible for people from this area.
A: Heatherwood & Wexham Park Trust is doing more Outpatient clinics including at Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross Hospital, but there won’t be all specialties in every location. Your experience may be as a result of the18 Week project (in which the NHS is working towards ensuring that everyone will be treated within 18 weeks from first referral). This means you are offered the earliest appointment but this may be at a different location from usual. Where services have moved from Wexham Park, we want to find a more local alternative in South Bucks.
Q: I know of a recent case of an 80 year old in South Bucks who was given an appointment at Maidenhead. The Appointments Clerks are not aware that some patients live in South Bucks. Could appointments staff ask where the patient lives and them offer the most appropriate venue?
A Heatherwood & Wexham Park Trust will look into this.
Q: When looking at whether to locate services at Upton or Wexham, please don’t forget that public transport into Slough from some South Bucks villages is better for Upton than Wexham.
A: We’ll note that point. We are also talking to public transport
providers. Bucks PCT has formed a Transport and Access Group jointly
with Bucks County Council, our Highways Authority, to consider these
issues..
Q: In the recent report from the local SHAPE Project (Services Having All People Engaged), one of the main points was the importance of travel information for patients. Could GPs provide travel information at the same time as they make the initial referral?
A:
There is a booklet available from
GP
surgeries which gives some travel information for your chosen hospital.
If you are not given this,
it
is worth asking. Also for those online, the NHS Choices website has
lots of information (www.nhs.uk)
URGENT CARE
Q: What are the criteria for Urgent Care Centres? Who can attend?
A: The Urgent Care Centres will deal with patients who do not need
specialist or hi-tech treatment. Anyone can attend, as has always been
the case with A & E. We do understand that there is potential for
confusion
and the single phone number which is proposed should help.
Q: Will the Urgent Care Centre be in a different building from A&E ?
A:
It will be either alongside or in front of the existing Emergency
department. The precise location
may vary, depending on whether you are talking about
Wexham Park, High Wycombe or Stoke Mandeville Hospitals.
WALK IN CENTRE/GP SURGERY
Q: Regarding the extended hours GP at Upton Hospital: Will this be available for Buckinghamshire patients, for example can people in Iver go to the GP in Upton if their own surgery has not got extended hours ?
A: The extended hours GP service at Upton will chiefly be intended for people who are not registered with a GP or who have a particular reason why they cannot see their own GP (for example, opening times are inconvenient or if they are away from home). Wherever possible, patients should see their own GP or use the appropriate Out of Hours GP service. Many existing surgeries will be extending their opening hours in any case
Post-meeting clarification: South Bucks patients will be able to access the extended hours GP at Upton.
Q: Regarding the current Walk In Centre at Upton. Sometimes if we ring our surgery in the afternoon to get an appointment with a GP, we are told they cannot give us an appointment and they advise us to go to the Walk in Centre. Is that wrong?
A: If a patient asks to see a GP, they should be offered an appointment at the surgery within 48 hours or a Practice Nurse if appropriate within 24 hours, without having to keep ringing back. The Walk In Centre is mainly intended for East Berkshire patients but Bucks patients are accepted there. However, the Walk In Centre is only staffed by nurses, which limits the treatment which can be offered.
Q: We live in Denham and last Tuesday morning my wife asked to see her GP and was told they could not give her an appointment either that day or the next. She was advised to go to the Walk In Centre at Mount Vernon. The nurse at the Walk In Centre had to phone our surgery to get her an appointment for the next day.
A: We apologise – that is not what should happen. In this sort of situation, the PCT’s PALS service is available to help (Freephone 0800 328 5640).
However, Bucks Primary Care Commissioning (GP collaborative organisation in South Bucks) is aware of issues around appointments systems. One practice has just done an audit and found that the average consultation rate per patient has doubled in recent years, so this perhaps explains why providing enough appointments is a problem for some practices. But we want to improve the situation, do training on this with practices etc.
CANCER SERVICES
Q: I welcome the proposal for local radiotherapy and chemotherapy for cancer patients. Will patients treated at Wycombe have access to this proposed new local service?
A: We cannot say at present as the details of this proposal are still being worked out.
Q: You should know that many cancer patients are currently going to 3 different places for their different treatments. Please take this up.
A: Patients currently receive care in different places depending on the stage of their treatment. Wherever we can, we are treating patients as close to home as we can, where it is safe to do so.
Q: Is there an overall system for Macmillan Nurses and services for cancer? Some surgeries have this information and some do not.
A: This is a complex pattern which varies in different areas. The Government is talking about an End of Life Strategy – we will all be looking into this later this year. We must raise the quality of these services and enable people to die at home in peace. But we accept it’s not a uniform system, there is disparity between areas. This is one of the services which will benefit from being provided in the community.
Q: Is there a booklet on all the services available for terminal
cases? What’s needed is relevant information about local services.
A: There are a number of publications around and various sources of information but we note your point and will bear this in mind.
OTHER ISSUES
Q: Those of us who live in Iver get very little public services from Buckinghamshire. We want to continue our current use of Hillingdon, Wexham etc.
A: We have no intention of stopping that.
Q: Where will we have a “super GP surgery”?
A: This is the sort of issue Bucks PCT will be discussing with you in the meetings and discussions we are planning for this coming summer.
Q: People who live here in Iver won’t go to Wycombe for their services.
A: We do understand that.
Q: Does the PCT use Mystery Shoppers?
A: We are considering using this method of monitoring the quality of services but nothing has definitely been planned.
Q: What is meant by preventative work?
A:
This includes both early work e.g. preventing obesity, working with
Local Authorities on walking schemes etc, also stop smoking services,
healthy eating help and so on. Then at the next stage GPs do
interventions when patients are identified as at risk of diseases.
There is a lot of screening going on and this is increasing.
For example, there is a new bowel cancer screening programme starting up
in both Berks and Bucks under which
people over 60 are sent a testing kit.
Q: If older people need equipment when discharged, this is not provided by WPH – patients are told they have to ask Bucks PCT. Can this be made seamless?
A: Provision of equipment for patients leaving hospital often requires input from local authority staff. Therefore it is always likely to be more difficult to provide a seamless service for Bucks patients returning home from Wexham Park. We will certainly look into improving the situation that you describe.
Q: Parking: I know of someone who has been going to Wexham Park twice a day, and parking costs have totalled £800 over the last few months. Will anything change?
A: Wexham
Park has
a
new scheme, which allocates more spaces for patients and fewer for
staff. There is a discount system for frequent patients – this should
be sorted out by the Ward Manager.
Dogs : Control and Fouling
If you find a stray dog at any time and are able to contain it, South Bucks District Council can arrange collection. In the first instance telephone: 01895 837264. Outside office hours telephone: 01895 837524
A dog is kenneled for seven days before being re-homed and there is a
fee of £50.00 plus kenneling and collection expenses (plus VAT) for its
return. For information or advice on lost dogs please contact :
Environmental Health Administration, Tel: 01895 837264
Email:
envhealth@southbucks.gov.uk Website:
www.rspcahillingdonclinic.org.uk
South Bucks District Council
have produced a leaflet about dog fouling, this can be read by clicking
here
Speeding Vehicles
We have
just obtained data from a survey carried out of vehicle speeds in
Richings Park. In the week that this took place, the following data was
noted: 24 counts of vehicles exceeding 81mph on North Park and 4 in
Thorney Lane South, North Park is rarely below 45mph and Thorney Lane is
rarely above 45mph.
High speeds mainly tend to occur in the
very early morning and throughout the evening. Once traffic volumes rise
for the 'rush hour' this seems to constrain speeds. The same is
noticeable at weekends but with a time shift of a few hours.
It may be of interest to know that North Park/Richings Way is the most
heavily used unclassified road in the whole of South Bucks District
carrying around 10,000 vehicle movements per day with over 1,000 of
these being heavy goods vehicles.
The Residents Association now has a radar speed gun. We have teamed up
with the Community Safety Partnership which allows us to send them data
collected by the speed gun together with vehicle registration numbers.
This then triggers a letter to be sent to the vehicle owner advising
them that the vehicle has been seen exceeding the speed limit. If three
letters are accumulated like this then the owner will receive a visit
from the police to discuss these transgressions!