Last updated 13:03, Thursday, 15 May 2008

SIR – Your readers may be interested in another daft system just implemented in this area by the Government to make life more difficult for hospital patients.

SIR – Your readers may be interested in another daft system just implemented in this area by the Government to make life more difficult for hospital patients. Now the doctor does not contact the hospital to get you an appointment – he rattles off a list of hospitals big and small and you choose which you are interested in attending.
You can choose several – anywhere you like, not necessarily in Cumbria. Then he prints you a letter with details of what to do next.
You either use the internet or telephone – using a number and password from the letter to connect to a central booking computer, like booking a hotel.
For all your hospital choices you are told for each when the earliest appointment you can have is. I chose Whitehaven, Workington and Carlisle – the first two offered me an earliest appointment in six weeks’ time, Carlisle said there were no appointments available. Then you make a choice – and that’s it.
There is no guide to the quality of care at any hospital, or quality of the relevant consultant – you are simply choosing between distance versus earliest appointment. Little choice in my case. Nor is there any case of priority for urgency – you simply get the next appointment, urgent or not. I am not impressed.
Julian THURGOOD
Birks Road, Cleator Moor

Impact of village PO closure bid
SIR – The following is a copy of an email I sent to consultation@ postoffice.co.uk regarding the proposed closure of Lowca post office. I will also be forwarding it to my MP:
I am extremely stressed at learning that my village post office has been chosen for closure.
I have been confined to a wheelchair since 1981. I moved into my specially adapted bungalow in Lowca in August 1984, and have always used the village post office. Moving is not an option.
When the Government decided to stop paying benefits by payment book, I was forced to open an account that allowed me to access my money from my post office instead of having to do a seven-mile round trip to the bank in Whitehaven. Since then the Whitehaven branch of my bank (Clydesdale) has closed, but because I could pay money into or withdraw money from my bank account at my post office it wasn’t a problem – until now.
I am fully independent and have been since I moved into my bungalow. I have had two boys and raised them independently – people tell me I’ve saved the government a fortune in benefits. So is it too much to ask for the sake of my independence and my health to leave Lowca post office open?
I am not the only wheelchair-bound person at Lowca – in fact on my road there are four of us, all needing the post office and all appalled at the thought of having to use our inadequate mobility allowance to travel to Whitehaven where the disabled parking is minimal, rarely available and problematic, especially for an independent disabled driver on their own (like myself).
You also need to understand that my monthly mobility allowance has considerably less worth than it used to be, due to phenomenal rises in petrol prices, MoTs which have doubled and escalating insurance costs. So forgive me for selfishly wanting to economise and put it to better use.
My last point on the proposed closure is you are having a detrimental effect on my carbon footprint, having to use non-sustainable resourses for my post office visits.
Tracey MITCHELL
Ghyll Grove, Lowca

Take fresh look at recycling policy
SIR – I am confused by Copeland’s current recycling policy in that only some constituents have been chosen to ensure the council achieves the recycling targets set by Whitehall.
It would seem the incentive for us all to be more environmentally friendly has more to do with the threat of next year’s budgets being cut if these targets for reducing land fill are not achieved.
Some of the constituents were chosen for a fortnightly wheely bin collection, which it seems was done without looking at the suitability of the houses for storing the bins. And what risk assessments were carried out to ensure that both black and brown bins could be manually handled up and down steps?
Being issued with a black box to recycle cans, bottles, plastic and paper was rather a Heath Robinson affair and if you don’t ensure the items are not mixed then they are either not taken or you may even get fined or a nasty note to warn you of your wrongdoing.
Ironically some constituents have been issued with white and green bags as a trial to ensure it was a success! As far as reducing the carbon footprint, we would then have a refuse lorry uplifting all on the same route whereas at the moment we have the more mobile and green constituents travelling by car to the supermarkets and the re-cycling centres as far away as Workington or Frizington. We have other potentially more appropriate places for Whitehaven people to recycle their waste, such as the Marchon car parks currently lying empty.
The positioning of the recycling skips in supermarket car parks would seem a good idea, as most people do actually travel by car and shop in these stores at least once a week, but that is only good if the frequency of the waste station is actually managed and not left for the recyclable waste to be left piled up adjacent.
There seems to be some confusion as to what can actually be recycled, so some easy-to-understand information is required to allow compliance: don’t just rely on a note pinned to the waste station.
The inconsistencies in the policy are widespread with, in some cases, some next door neighbours being on bins and others on black bags, where no limitation is placed on the volume of waste or types of items that can be collected.
I am all for the wheely bins being part of the overall solution to reducing the overall carbon footprint, but the policy being used by Copeland Council has to be user-friendly and not enforced by over-zealous individuals where the success of these schemes may be linked to key performance indicators in their contracts which ultimately can lead to bonuses or promotion.
Incidentally, I do not have a wheely bin, although the area and houses in my estate are extremely suitable!
William McCOMB
Montreal Place
Moor Row
Call for National Park body to go
SIR – Constructing an underground nuclear dump is a major multi-billion industrial project.
CoRWM – the government committee on radioactive waste management – was initially to blame for propagating the misconception that it’s simply digging a hole and placing nuclear waste deep down in it. I objected at the CoRWM consultation, but like so many other critics was ignored. The Government has been quite happy to sustain the cosy misconception.
The decade-long construction project needs a huge area for site works, a thousand or more transient workers living locally and major new road and rail links. Doubtless the landscape would be highly impacted and the rural community swamped. The Government is offering a bribe (“compensation”) but many will prefer to sell up and move out.
The National Park Authority is badly misinformed if it thinks such a huge-scale mining project is compatible with the Park objectives. As one who enjoys visiting and rambling in Cumbria, I think the betrayal of their remit requires them to be dismissed.
Max WALLIS
Westbourne Road,
Penarth, South Wales

Feathers fly over missing goose
SIR – I must comment on two points regarding the “wildlife centre fears ‘death-knell’ for Barney” (The Whitehaven News, May 8).
Point one – 90% of the population of West Cumbria would not know what a fox was having probably never seen one in the wild, so if a goose, wild or tame, ever had the misfortune to see one I think the outcome would be the same.
Point Two – IT IS ONLY A GOOSE ! Get over it! We, as a nation eat thousands of them every year without any feelings of guilt (though maybe we should, considering the way the majority of these birds are reared).
Kevin FITZWILLIAM
Moor Row

SIR – I feel most strongly about Barney the Goose going missing. Looking at the picture in your paper it does not look like Barney.
George Scott paid a lot of money to save Barney when he was injured, I think at least he should have had the opportunity to have him back. I, for one, know how dedicated he is to saving wildlife.
Ms M SCOTT
Beck Green, Egremont

SIR – I note the exile of Barney the goose, who was a steg or gander, a male goose.
You note a female goose inhabits Mockerkin Tarn. It is not a female but a male steg goose. It grew up with a flock of goslings which were Grey Lags who nest there.
It’s been there over five years now and it mates on with any lone female goose when at the tarn.
I have never seen any offspring so I presume they do not breed so I can’t see much family future for Barney. But a great spot to retire on.
T KENYON
Pica Cottages
Distington

The ‘I’ll-do-what-I-want’ attitude
SIR – At last you have published a sensible letter in the face of the hysterical support for the man who overfilled his bin.
This young man with an apparently responsible job carrying you and me to our destinations safely and carefully is incapable of filling a waste bin properly? When shown how and given a bigger bin (that’s a better service than you’ll get from a utility company) he refuses to comply and then to cap it all ignores official warnings. But the clincher for me is all those people led by a man of the cloth and some councillors who want to pay his fine – the fine of someone who has committed a crime and has been convicted. Are they quite barmy?
Perhaps they could extend their activities, for every week down at the magistrates court are a whole range of crimes to choose from. Violence, dog fouling, domestics, littering, shoplifting, non-payment of fines... yes they are all their just waiting for some sucker to turn up and pay for them.
It wasn’t a generosity of spirit that paid the “bin man’s” fine but an anti-social attitude that encourages the “I can do what I want” attitude in young and old that causes trouble in schools, hospitals and other public places.
Alan ALEXANDER
Whitehaven
Parent’s praise for head Janet
SIR – As a father of a Year 8 pupil of Wyndham School, I have more than a passing interest in the development of the Academy.
The recent fanfair extolling the no doubt wonderful virtues of Barrie Cooper, the principal-to-be of the new Academy, made no mention at all of the outgoing head Mrs Janet Simpson. Whether this was by design or by mistake I think it is ludicrous that no word of thanks was uttered.
Surely good manners dictate that even if it is just lip service thanks and recognition should be mentioned in such a public forum.
I for one would like to offer my sincere thanks to Mrs Simpson for looking after my child for the last two years in a caring, professional and humane manner under extremely difficult inherited circumstances and wish her all the best for the future.
Name and address supplied
Star performers delight playgoer
SIR – I attended the Rosehill Theatre production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest on the opening night and was thrilled by the entire show.
I was a complete novice regarding the storyline, and it was also my first time visiting the Rosehill Theatre but my expectations were vastly exceeded.
The role of Randle (played by Jack Nicholson in the film) was played by Roger Wilson. Obviously a challenging role he was fantastic in his enthusiastic approach and was entirely believable. I was amazed at how well he was able to portray the role and he deserves much credit.
Due to the story taking place in the US all the actors had feigned American accents but they did this incredibly well.
One of the most noteable actors was Dave Corrigan, who played the Chief. He opened the production amidst lightning affects and throughout was convincing in his distinct role.
One of the aspects making the play come to life for the audience was the way the stage had been set to look like the day room of a mental hospital. Many small details such as signs, medicine bottle and ash trays were even included.
I feel the whole production team deserve recognition in this show, described in last week’s Whitehaven News as the Rosehill Players’ ‘most ambitious yet’. I think they have sucessfully exceeded all expectations and I look forward to seeing many future productions.
Emma BRAGG
Address withheld
The purpose of imprisonment
SIR – I disagree with Jeremy Godwin’s statement that the purpose of imprisonment is two-fold (The Whitehaven News, May 8). Were he to enquire further into the matter of imprisonment per se, he would discover that previous Prison Commissioners held that the purpose of imprisoment is three-fold:
the punishment of the offender;
the rehabilitation of the offender;
the acknowledgement to society in general that justice has been carried out, to their general satisfaction.
I would refer him specifically to a book by an ex-Prison Commissioner, Sir Lionel Wray Fox, CB, MC, entitled ‘The English Prison and Borstal Systems, which devotes 74 pages alone to the purpose of imprisonment. Even then there is some confusion as to whether the answers provided by the author fully define its purpose.
Brian PARNABY
Ullock
Writing CO² is elementary...
SIR – Just a small but important point. Last week , in an article about Jamie Reed, you used the chemical symbol for carbon dioxide twice, unfortunately both were incorrect.
The correct format is CO² – the C and O are capitalised as they refer to the chemical symbols for carbon and oxygen, and the subscript 2 indicates two atoms of oxygen with one of carbon (unlike CO, carbon monoxide, where there is one of each atom)
As a science teacher I feel it is important that students get accurate reinforcement about science from all aspects of everyday life, particularly the various media. Such errors, along with poor stereotypes and exaggerated demands for spectacle usually by TV and films, make our job more of a challenge. Students often find it difficult to believe what their teachers say when confronted with what they see in print or on the small and large screen.
I could expand on specifics but I don’t want to appear a killjoy or to dampen the Hollywood magic. All I would like is a little more accuracy.
Tony TERRY
Helvellyn Close
Cockermouth