Page 13 - link magazine

LETTER FROM WESTMINSTER 13

Flu puts the NHS to the test
Busy
But Swindon North MP Michael Wills says the NHS has coped well
Book-Keep ng
When the millennium celebrations 8.6 million doses of flu vaccine
were finally over, Britain woke up were also made available this win- Start the new millennium
to an outbreak of flu that now looks ter - that is one million up on last
set to become the worst in a dec- year. by letting an experienced
ade. The flu bug has stretched the book-keeper take the
The new strain of flu - Sydney A NHS, but it has risen to the chal- strain from you.
fever - is affecting thousands of lenge. Once again we all owe a Book-keeping, VAT returns, tax
people in all parts of the country. It great debt of gratitude to the NHS returns done at competitive rates
is not only Britain that is suffering and social services staff for mak-
- from France and Belgium to Spain ing sure that services have been Also familiar with the new CIS
and Italy, people are falling ill with there when people need them. legislation & administration
the new strain. In Switzerland, the Michael Wills can be contacted Contact Lynette on
number of cases is approaching at the Pinehurst People's Centre, 01793 705997
record figures. Beech Avenue, Swindon.
In Britain, early December saw Tel: 481016.
40 people per 100,000 visit their
doctor with flu-like symptoms. By
mid-January, this figure had shot
up to 197 per 100,000. Not only are NHS caused by the extended mil- THE
more people suffering, but those lennium holiday, were predictable.
who are, will tell you it is more The Government began preparing IREPLAC^
unpleasant. for it a long time ago. In April last F CENTRE
Intensive care units are admit- year the Government set up local
ting increasing numbers of people winter planning groups to co-or-
suffering from flu - the figure is dinate health and social services
currently almost half the patients over the winter and millennium. SPECIALISTS
admitted. And typically, it is tak- Each local group submitted IN FIRES
ing ten to twelve days before peo- plans by the end of September and
ple feel better, rather than four or these were followed by visits from & FIREPLACES
five. the Department of Health millen-
The flu bug, together with the nium executive team to ensure the
long New Year break, has put real plans were robust enough. Visit our extended showrooms at:
pressure on the NHS. In the three In addition, there were 45% more Rodbourne Rd, Swindon. Tel: (01793) 612288
weeks following Christmas 600,000 ambulance staff than last year on Closed on
people visited A&E, and there were duty. And most people will have
more than 200,000 emergency ad- seen the campaign encouraging
missions to hospital. Over the mil- them to use the most appropriate
lennium GPs received 50% more service - the local pharmacy and
calls than last year - mainly due to NHS Direct, or to look after them-
flu. selves at home - as a complement
Of course, the pressures on the to GP or hospital care.

MP weds in quiet ceremony
Julia Drown, MP for South Swindon, ended the 20th Century by
marrying her partner Bill Hughes at Alnwick Register Office in
Northumberland.
The ceremony took place on 29
December, attended by immedi-
ate family. Julia's mother's family
originate from Alnwick and one of
Bill's sisters and her husband live
there. His brother in law is a solici-
tor in the town and his office dou-
bles as the local register office.
The couple met in 1985 when
they were both students at Oxford For your retirement living we cunently have
University. Bill is now a philsophy vacancies at Brain Court, Stratton St. Mar2aret
lecturer there and commutes from
Swindon. and Windmil Court. Freshbrook, Swindon.
Their two month old baby
Harvey Dexter was with Julia and Please contact our Regional Office-
Bill for the ceremony. She wore an Western Region, 10 The Parade
ivory silk wedding dress and car- Marlborough, Wiltshire SNS I NE
ried a small posy of carnations. Tel: 01672 515622
"It was a great day," said Bill.
"The weather was crisp and sunny, Julia picks up her full Parliamen-
so everyone was able to take a tary programme. She can be con- James Butcher
walk on the beach afterwards." tacted at her office: 39 Victoria ' L lh
Bill has taken a term's sabbatical Road, Swindon SN1 3AT. Housing Association
to look after Harvey Dexter whilst Tel: 615444