Locally based MSP Linda Fabiani has welcomed the announcement that there will be extra funding made available to strengthen the support services for carers including almost £1million that will go to NHS Lanarkshire.

Over the next three years, an additional £9 million will be provided to NHS Boards across Scotland to bolster the implementation of Carer Information Strategies. NHS Lanarkshire’s share of this is just over £900,000.

Carers will benefit from greater awareness and recognition of their role, improved provision of information and available support, with more access to training to help them cope with their caring role.

NHS staff will also be given training on how to identify unpaid carers and signpost them to local sources of support, and will work closely with carers as key partners in the delivery of care.

Ms Fabiani said:“I am delighted to see this valuable work being done to support carers and highlight the new funding available to Health Boards to implement their Carer Information Strategies.

“We currently have an ageing population and many carers are themselves now elderly. We need to ensure that carers do not neglect their own health and are given care and support themselves when they need it.“The additional funding being provided by the Scottish Government will ensure that carers are given the best possible support.

Strathaven resident Linda Fabiani MSP has welcomed the decision made by South Lanarkshire Council to freeze Council Tax in the forthcoming financial year.

 
Commenting on the decision Linda Fabiani said:

“The decision by South Lanarkshire Council to freeze Council Tax at current levels is extremely welcome. After year on year increases over the past decade this will be some welcome relief to the tax payers of East Kilbride.

“The tax freeze has only been made possible by the historic agreement between the Scottish Government and Local Authorities that gives Council’s like South Lanarkshire much more freedom to deliver on their local priorities.

“This freeze represents a cut in real terms by stopping even an inflationary rise because of the finances made available by the Scottish Government to Local Authorities to allow them to implement the Council Tax freeze.

“A great deal of credit must also go to the local authority for recognising the opportunity that was being presented to them and for taking the decision to aid local tax payers.”  

Local MSP Linda Fabiani is encouraging people to contribute to a consultation on improving the planning system. The Scottish government hopes to create  local review bodies comprising of councillors to hear appeals for small-scale, local developments. Currently appeals against planning decisions taken by planning officers have to go to Scottish Ministers but it is now hoped that most of these appeals will instead be heard at a local level by councillors so, creating a faster and more efficient planning system.

”The consultation covers the detailed procedures that should apply to review local planning applications, planning appeals and preparing schemes of delegation and runs until May 14. I would encourage anyone with an interest in planning matters to respond to the consultation.”

The consultation document ‘Modernising Planning Appeals’ can be accessed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Consultations/Current

Finalised regulations are intended to be in place early in 2009.

The decision by the Board of NHS Lanarkshire to recommend the retention of all three A&E units in Lanarkshire has been welcomed by Linda Fabiani MSP.The announcement follows the publication of a report from an Independent Scrutiny Panel which examined the original the choice by NHS Lanarkshire to close the Accident & Emergency department at Monklands Hospital.

The health board will now make a recommendation to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Nicola Sturgeon, that they keep open the emergency department.

Commenting after the Board meeting had finished Strathaven based Ms Fabiani said:

“I greatly welcome this decision by NHS Lanarkshire; it is in the best interests of the people of this area that they all have ready access to accident and emergency services within the immediate area.

“The original decision to close an A&E unit was found to have been based on dated evidence and did not represent a fair balance of expert opinion.  It has now been determined that the centralisation of A&E services would not necessarily provide benefits to patients and the health board has now made new recommendations that will build on the current service.

“This is great news for the people of Lanarkshire and proof that this Scottish Government is prepared to take on board the views and opinions of local communities. This is a victory for people right across Lanarkshire who campaigned to save their health service from cuts that would impact on their lives”.

Further information on the A&E Review can be viewed on the NHS Lanarkshire’s website: http://www.nhslanarkshire.co.uk/Board+Papers+and+Meeting+Dates/January+2008.htm

Strathaven based SNP MSP, Linda Fabiani, has welcomed the publication of new guidance on hospital car parking issued by the Scottish Government to NHS Boards which, will ensure that patients and staff are protected from the introduction of excessive car parking charges.

The guidance, drawn up by a review group, states that health boards must operate a presumption against parking charges and where charging is used, all reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that these charges are not excessive for people working at or visiting a hospital.

The key principles of the guidance are:

* NHS Boards have a responsibility to work with local and regional partners to help to ensure good access for patients, carers, visitors and staff to NHS sites

* Car parking should be provided free of charge at most NHS sites

* Boards may make reasonable charges for car parking as part of a planned approach to facilitating access to sites, and to cover the costs of car park provision

* Boards must ensure that there is a reasonable allocation of car parking spaces available to allow patients and carers to attend clinics and appointments, including access for emergencies, and there should be clear information available to patients on how to get to the site including parking arrangements and any concessions

* Boards must ensure that a reasonable allocation of spaces is also made available for staff, reflecting the overall availability of car parking on the site

* Arrangements for allocating staff parking, which must reflect the needs of good employment practice and essential car use required for the delivery of services, must be agreed through local staff partnership arrangements

It also states that boards should not look at parking management in isolation, but should consider wider travel and access issues. Additionally schemes which impose uniform charges and conditions across a number of sites are not acceptable under the new guidance.

Boards are also instructed to publicise more widely concessionary parking and operate them more flexibly.

Commenting on the review of the guidance Ms Fabiani said:

“The review group has endorsed the view that, in general, car parking at hospitals should be provided free of charge.

“This is good news for hospital patients and staff alike. NHS Boards now have a clearer system of guidance that will help them formulate policies around this issue which can be a problem on some hospital sites.

“It should also provide some reassures to patients and staff at various hospitals, including Hairmyres, that from today they have greater clarity on this matter.”

The report from the Independent Scrutiny Panel which looked at the decision by NHS Lanarkshire to close the Accident & Emergency department at Monklands Hospital and reconfigure health services elsewhere in Lanarkshire has been welcomed by Central Scotland MSP Linda Fabiani. The report has endorsed the decision taken by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Nicola Sturgeon, to keep open the emergency department and raises questions about the previous governments endorsement of its closure.

Commenting on the report Ms Fabiani said:

“The report by the Independent Scrutiny Panel has justified the SNP Governments decision to have this looked at.

“The independent panel has found that the health board’s decision to downgrade Monklands was based on dated evidence and did not represent a fair balance of expert opinion.

“The panel determined that the centralisation of A&E services would not necessarily provide benefits to patients. With the panels chairman stating that NHS Lanarkshire had not made a convincing case for these changes.

“The Independent Scrutiny Panel has recognised the potential for the current service to build on itself through clinical decision units and the extension of minor injuries provision into the community whilst maintaining three A&E units.

“This is great news for the people of Lanarkshire and proof that this Scottish Government is prepared to take on board the views and opinions of local communities.

“Andy Kerr MSP, by contrast remains the lone voice in the wilderness with no support for his opinion on this matter as he remains the only advocate of closing community health services in Lanarkshire, although this is no surprise given that he was health minister when the original decision was taken. 

“Mr Kerr has in the past foretold of death and destruction if the Monklands A&E was kept open, I’m sure the doctors and nurses who work in NHS Lanarkshire will take great delight in proving him wrong.

“This report is a victory for communities across Lanarkshire who campaigned to save their health service from cuts that would impact on their communities. 

“The Independent Scrutiny Panel is the first of its kind but, this Scottish Government intends it will continue its work to monitor the decisions of public bodies that have major to decisions to make, in order to protect the best interests of our communities and ensure that community involvement is at the heart of future decision making.  

Strathaven resident and Central Scotland MSP Linda Fabiani, has welcomed new plans for greater public involvement in the NHS which could lead to direct elections for some members of health boards.

The SNP Government is proposing to introduce a Local Healthcare Bill to enhance the role patients and the public play in decisions about how local health services are designed and delivered. The consultation asks for views on how this might best be done.

Speaking after the consultation was launched Ms Fabiani said:

“The consultation on the Local Healthcare Bill, is part of the SNP Governments desire to improve public and community involvement in the work of NHS boards.

“In East Kilbride we have seen recent decisions to change the way NHS services are delivered raise strong feelings in the local community here and in Monklands when NHS Lanarkshire wished to close an accident and emergency department. Many people believe that the views of local people are not taken sufficient account of when NHS Boards make these decisions.

“NHS Boards have difficult decisions to take at times but I believe that consideration of the views of local people should be at the heart of the process, and that the process for any service changes must be open to scrutiny. This consultation should lead to improved public and community involvement with NHS Boards.

“Members of the public can access the consultation document at  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/208149/0055207.pdf  and I would encourage people to take a look and consider making a response before the closing date of the 1^st April 2008. ”

Linda Fabiani MSP has welcomed a Scottish Government funding boost which will see South Lanarkshire Council receive an extra £1.064m from a programme allowing local authorities to fund adaptations to the homes of older people and others with disabilities, to enable them to continue to live independently. Overall the programme is to receive an extra £15 million from Communities Scotland this year.

The extra funding for Private Sector Housing Grant (PSHG), which brings the total to over £82 million this year, will help thousands of older and disabled people who need a grant to carry out adaptations or practical assistance through their local Care and Repair service.

The additional funding will also help local authorities prepare to implement the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, which gives them powers to make new services – such as specialist advice – available to homeowners who need to repair and improve their homes.

In addition, this funding, and all future PSHG funding will be distributed to authorities on a much simpler, and less bureaucratic, basis. This enhanced funding flexibility will also allow for any unspent PSHG to be held by authorities for use in 2008/09 and 2009/10. This will help authorities by giving them funding certainty, particularly where people apply for funding but the work takes place over an extended period of time.

Welcoming the announcement of the extra funding from Communities and Sport Minister, Stewart Maxwell, Ms Fabiani said:
“This demonstrates the Scottish Governments commitment to ensuring everyone in Scotland has the right to live in a decent home.

“South Lanarkshire’s share of £1.064m will increase the councils overall allocation in this area to £5.839m for 2007/08
“The additional money will allow the local authority to raise the standard of living for some of the most vulnerable residents in East Kilbride and elsewhere in the county.

“The Scottish Government have told local authorities that they will have over £68 million each year until 2010/11 and greater flexibility in the year-on-year use of those funds.

“This will help thousands of people adapt their homes to support them to live independently, and will enable councils to fund new approaches to helping owners fund repairs and improvements.”

Strathaven based MSP Linda Fabiani has voiced her appreciation for the efforts of Christmas and New Year workers.

Commenting on the sacrifices they make at this time of year Ms Fabiani said:

“While many of us are celebrating the festive season with families and friends many others will be out working to provide essential services.

“Police, fire and rescue, ambulance, nurses and doctors and all the support staff are just some of the jobs we associate with 24 hour 365 days a year cover and their work is essential to our personal and societies well-being.

“There are many other workers who will work through this holiday period in shops, restaurants, hotels and a great many industries that will not receive our gratitude for the jobs they do.

“I am lucky enough to be able to spend Christmas day at home, as will many others but we should spare a thought for those who would wish to do the same but whose work does not allow them to take time off.

“All of us use services that require to be covered over the festive period like the shops on a daily basis and we may even have need for an emergency service and it is simply not possible for these people to stop work.

“For all of the workers kept busy over this period I wish them all the best for the festive season.”

Strathaven based MSP Linda Fabiani has welcomed the announcement by the Scottish Government, that South Lanarkshire will receive £3.9 million next year from the Scottish Government.

The money will enable South Lanarkshire Council to freeze the council tax but also allow them:

to cut class sizes

invest in social care including support for vulnerable people, care for those with disabilities

invest in our police services

fund those caring for relatives and friends at risk

Welcoming the announcement Linda Fabiani said:

“This is welcome news for the people of Strathaven and South Lanarkshire as a whole.

“The Scottish Government, in committing this money is supporting South Lanarkshire Council to deliver key local and national services to benefit people across the area.

“The funding increase of 4.5 percent will allow South Lanarkshire Council to freeze the council tax and avoid the 3.5% rise that would otherwise land on people’s doorsteps next year, and I hope that is what they will choose to do.

“People across Scotland suffered under the weight of a 60% rise in Council Tax over a 10 years period under the Labour Government and it is time to address the burden on people’s lives that this caused.

“The SNP Government is increasing the funding available for people with disabilities, mental health issues and victims of domestic violence amongst others.

“The SNP Government is taking action to ensure South Lanarkshire Council can meet all their commitments to people in Strathaven and that local authorities have the financial freedom to respond to the needs of their local community.

“I hope politicians of all persuasions will welcome the announcement today and that South Lanarkshire Council will be one of the first to commit to freezing the council tax.”