Tamworth Blog

Sir Robert Peel Hospital - Pic: Angella Streluk

Tamworth’s Sir Robert Peel Hospital has scored well in a recent visit by the Patient Environment Action Teams (PEAT).

The visit which looked at the cleanliness and environment issues that effect the patients visit to hospitals is carried out by a PEAT team which is made up of NHS staff, including nurses and domestic managers, executive and non-executive directors and their estate managers as well as patient representatives.

The Sir Robert Peel was awarded Good for the environment and food and was awarded Excellent for the Privacy and Dignity afforded to patients of the hospital.

Stuart Poynor, PCT Chief Executive, has high praise for the staff and said:

“PCT Provider Services is delighted to have been assessed as having a good standard of cleanliness and environment and providing a good range of food options. We are also delighted with the excellent rating for privacy and dignity for Sir Robert Peel Hospital.”

The areas investigated included the catering on offer to patients and the general environment, but the Sir Robert Peel Hospital was commended for the the high level of privacy and dignity provided, which includes sleeping rooms and the toilet/bathroom facilities within the hospital.

The Scouts at camp with wood owners Sarah Walters and Steve Briggs.

Six Scouts from Tamworth took part in an overnight camp at Alvecote wood, to learn about nature conservation.
The event was organised by Sarah Walters and Steve Briggs, who purchased the site in 2007 to support wildlife conservation.

The Scouts assisted with a great deal of work around the site, including clearing felled sycamore and willow trees, and using this to provide hedging around the boundary. They also helped construct bridges and repair fences, and took part in wildlife tracking.

Sarah said:

“We were delighted to welcome the first Scout camp at the wood. We are extremely keen that, whilst not opening the wood all the time for the public, it is nevertheless a community resource as well as a place for wildlife.”

For more information about the site and conservation work there, visit www.alvecotewood.co.uk

Ladybridge and Tamworth Flats - Photo: Elvis Payne

Landlords in Tamworth met for the first summit last week, to discuss ways to improve services in the town.
They met council officers, housing association representatives, and a tenant spokesman, as part of what the council hopes will become a regular event.

Tina Mustafa, head of housing operations at Tamworth borough council, said:

“The summit brought together people from different sectors so that we can all learn from each other and improve the housing services we provide to our tenants.

“We can keep in touch with what is happening across the borough, share knowledge and gain greater understanding of how we all work which will hopefully lead to improving how we work together. We carried out a survey of the landlords invited to see what they felt would be relevant to discuss. We wanted to make sure that everyone got something out of the meeting.”

Councillor Mary Oates, cabinet member for quality of life, added:

“Tamworth borough council is committed to improving housing standards across the borough and we can achieve this through working with partners and crossing boundaries outside the public sector. We hope that the joint working on choice based lettings, including private landlo rds will see a real increase in rental properties across all tenures that customers can choose from.”

Joseph Nunn, JDRF Regional Development Manager, and Hannah Gripton, JDRF Regional Fundraising Coordinator, with Colin Bryan, Managing Director, Drayton Manor Theme Park.

Colin Bryan, Managing Director of Drayton Manor Park has been named as the Chairman of the West Midlands Walk to Cure Diabetes for the second year in succession.

The five mile walk in the grounds of Drayton Manor raised over £114,000 for the JDRF last year.  The money raised is used to drive forward research into type 1 Diabetes, the chronic, life threatening condition that has a life long impact on those diagnosed and their families.

Colin Bryan, said of his appointment:

“I’m delighted to be involved with JDRF once again. Last year’s walk was a huge success and I hope that this year even more people will take part and help to raise funds for this very worthy cause.”

Colin’s job now is to build support for the walk and convince businesses and people of the Midlands to walk at the event.

Joe Nunn, West Midlands Regional Development Manager for JDRF, said:

“It’s brilliant to have Drayton Manor on board with us in 2009. The efforts of Colin and everyone else who helped to put on the event in 2008 meant that not only was money raised to help research into type one diabetes, but the event was enjoyed by all those taking part.”

The JDRF is the worlds leading charitable fund for type 1 Diabetes research and it exists to cure the condition.  People with the condition rely on multiple insulin injections and finger prick tests every day just to stay alive.

To learn more about the walk and the charity go to www.jdrf.org.uk/walktocure