The Best and Most Informative Diabetic Newsletter on the Isle of Man s1

The Newsletter All monies of the Friends of collected are the Manx spent on the Isle Diabetic. of Man. The diabetic No monies are support Group sent of the IOM The off Island Diabetic The Best and most Informative Diabetic Newsletter on the Isle of Man Issue number 33 e-mail: [email protected] Date: June 2011  LEADING FROM THE FRONT Caaryjn Lught Vannin yn Chingys Millish A Charity registered in the Isle of Man. Charity number 894. All monies collected from whatever source will only be used on the Isle of Man for the benefit of diabetics and their medical carers. The Group that fights on behalf of the Manx people without fear or favour. Call for Breast Cancer demonstration outside Tynwald The Disgraceful waiting lists Breast Cancer Surgeon Notes for our Civil Servants advising the Minister

In this issue Call for Breast Cancer demonstration outside Tynwald Our Health Department not fit for purpose: The disgraceful waiting lists Breast Care Services Notes for our Civil Servants advising the Minister Presentation to the Podiatrists and Dietician Services The Prosthetic and Orthotic Services Local News: Protect the Most ‘Vulnerable’ The Leaky Buses The Development of the Bus Station Complaints against Government Departments department The Disability Discrimination Act 2006 Another debacle for Mr Cretney, but it’s not his fault Call for Breast Cancer No cap on Election Spending Access to Work demonstration outside The UK Disability and Equalities Act 2010 St John Ambulance Care Campaign Tynwald. New Chairman for Castletown Commissioners st nd Presentation by the RAOB club of Ramsey. On 21 or 22 June at the Tynwald News in Brief sitting of the Court, depending on the Taxi Association who have Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles The Last Laugh order paper, Mrs Brenda Cannell on The Elections are getting closer: behalf of the women of the Isle of Man, will be calling on Minister Anderson and 2 the Brown Government to think again and Tynwald that we all disapprove appoint a dedicated Breast specialist. of their handling and intransigence of their proposed actions. We want a dedicated Breast Cancer Specialist.

Mrs Brenda Cannell MHK If Brains were taxed, how many would get a The Motion reads: refund? “That Tynwald is of the opinion that a dedicated Consultant Breast Specialist should be appointed rather than a General Surgeon with an interest in Breast” Our Health Department not It is in the interest of all the women on fit for purpose: the Isle of Man to support this initiative The disgraceful waiting lists. and to demonstrate outside Tynwald and Mr John Houghton MHK for Douglas then in the Tynwald Public Gallery. North asked the following questions for We must ensure that the Chief written answer from the Minister for Minister, Minister Anderson, all the Health Mr Anderson in Tynwald on 12th Ministers and the Members of April 2011. Departments who form the bloc vote, that they understand it is time for them to vote with the people and not their own interests and that of the Manx Government. We must also send a clear cut message to all the Civil Servants that they are not elected by the people, and the people don’t want what is being proposed. Mr John Houghton MHK Douglas North We call on all the MHK’s and all the MLC’s, in fact the whole of Tynwald to Mr Houghton wanted to know as vote with the people of the Isle of Man. regards waiting lists: This has been a Government that the a) If the Minister would make a statement Manx people believe has been the worst on the current lists for consultants for Government we have had in the last 25 each medical disciple? years. b) How the lists compare with those of Vote the bloc voters out at the ballot twelve months ago? And, box in September next. c) How many consultants and other We cannot perpetuate their actions into specialists are responsible for each the next administration. medical discipline? We call on all the women of the In his reply, prepared by his civil Isle of Man to be outside Tynwald servants, Minister Anderson said that on Tuesday 21st or 22nd June unfortunately the question posed was unclear and ambiguous, and that the 2011, and support their sisters answer was therefore based on what that are suffering from this “We” (that means the Minister’s answer pernicious disease, and to show written and advised by his civil servants) 3 “think the honourable member was Could be that Ms Hamo has been doing asking”. something right. Below we list what the Health Maybe that’s why the Minister wants Department proudly proclaim are their to get rid of the Breast surgeon for waiting lists. stepping out of line and bringing the They also give the names of the waiting lists for this discipline down. consultants against each discipline, and Maybe the Doctor in question is the previous years waiting lists, which we spending too much money in getting Isle have left out and printed only the of Man people well. speciality and the waiting lists for 2011. Because if we had a General Surgeon Here goes: as Minister Anderson wants, the waiting Speciality Waiting list for 2011 lists would come into line with their Allergy Not available. expectations and they would then be Breast Surgery Up to 6 months. happy. ENT over 24 months. Now The Diabetic asks the question: General Surgery from 18 to over 24 Why do we have to have such long months. waiting lists when you can go privately to Oral Surgery over 24 months. the same consultant within two weeks? Orthodontics up to 18 months. Is The Minister advised by his civil Restorative Dentistry up to 3 months. servants like Mr McGregor Edwards Thoracic Surgery up to 3 months. going to send all these people, because of Urology up to 18 months. the waiting lists and the fact the Trauma & from 18 months to Consultants can’t cope with them, in all Orthopaedics over 24 months. the above disciplines back to their GP’s Gynaecology anything from,6,9, like they are doing to the Type 2 18 to over 24 months Diabetics, to cut the waiting lists at Obstetrics Antenatal up to 6 months. Noble’s, because the Centre cannot cope Paediatrics 3,6 up to 9 months. with so many diabetics now on the Paediatric Neurology No wait. Island? Cardiology up to 18 months. Minister Anderson has proclaimed Diabetic Medicine up to 18 months. publicly that the Brown Government has Endocrinology over 24 months prioritise Health Care and he can have as General Medicine from 3, 6, 9,12,18, much money as he wants, so why not or up to 24 months depending on the increase the staff at the Centre and Doctor increase the clinic times. Yet he closes Nephrology from 3 to 6 monhts clinics and amalgamates staff at the Neurology up to 6 months. Hospital, who are now completely Respiratory Physiology up to 24 months. overworked. Respiratory Medicine up to 9 months. The Chairman has just received a letter Rheumatology from 3 to 24 months after complaints, on his blood tests taken Dermatology over 24 months. on 15th April 2011, that was dictated on Ophthalmology over 24 months 4th May 2011 but according to them typed Orthoptist up to 6 months. on 23rd May 2011 and received on May Plastic Surgery over 24 months. 28th. Pain Management up to 9 months. It’s not their fault, it is because they are In the majority of cases the waiting also doing other clinics for other lists have gone up anything by 6 to 12 disciplines and they can not cope. months, as compared to those as supplied So much for the system imposed by Mr by Minister Anderson for the year 2010. Anderson and Mr MaCregor Edwrads to The Breast Surgery according to the alleviate the waiting lists. Minister has come down from 12 months So the medicine that the Chairman last year to six this. should have been put on 16th or 17th April 4 is now over 41 days late. He could have The patients that cannot afford to go died without it if it had been more privately are being treated like second serious. class citizens in a banana republic, Well done Minister Anderson and staff, because then the Health Services are not you have once again messed up in reality available for all the Manx everything. It is time to resign. people on a level playing field. This is what is going to happen when So the Health Service is not fit for the General surgeon with an interest in purpose. breast takes post and he has to do surgery If you have to wait 24 months, you clinics and surgery instead of full time might be dead by the time your Breast Cancer. appointment comes up, what then Apparently none of the other Minister Anderson? disciplines can cope with the number of Who is responsible, you, your civil their patients either. Hence their service advisors, or the Government? horrendous waiting lists. So what is going Minister Anderson and his advisor’s to happen here? are failing in their requirements to meet The Friends of the Manx Diabetic have the needs of the Manx Patient. told the Health Department in their report, This is what Minister Anderson and Mr that what we need is more clinic time and McGregor Edwards have to resolve more personnel at these disciplines, or is immediately, not take the easy way out Minister Anderson going to continue to for them, to the detriment of the patients slowly kill off preventative care for the by pretending to send diabetics into GP Manx people? It is a good job he hasn’t care, kidding themselves that this will long to go as an MHK. bring the waiting lists down. The waiting Playing at musical chairs with people’s lists at the Centre are this year now lives will not resolve the waiting list as standing at over 18 months, according to Minister Anderson and Mr McGregor Minister Anderson himself. Edwards seem to think. They are just playing to the gallery These waiting lists are ridiculous, not when they very well know that all only a disgrace and bring the Island into diabetic patients in reality already go to disrepute, but they are an indictment on their GP regularly, to get their the way our Department of Health is run prescriptions and for any other aliments. and Minister Anderson should resign. The Kings Fund in the UK are Just by looking at these horrendous bemoaning the fact that waiting lists in waiting lists, shows that the Health the UK have increased to 18 weeks. Department is not fit for purpose. Here they have increased in some They are ridiculous and laughable for instances from 6 or 12 months to 24 what the Chief Minister claims that the months, not 18 weeks like in the UK Island is not a banana republic, in the 21st but to 104 weeks. Century. Chief Minister this is your legacy in However if you go to your GP, and your own banana republic of the Isle of request to be seen by a consultant, the Man. conversation will go something like this The Kings Fund personnel should visit GP: “Do you want to go private or on our Chief Ministers progressive Island to the NHS?” really appreciate and understand what Patient “Why”? waiting lists are. GP: “Well, if you go privately the No wonder the people claim that this is consultant will see you within 2 weeks. If the worst Government we have ever had. however you want to go on the NHS then But the time is coming soon for their there is a waiting list of anything up to 24 comeuppance and you can do that at the months for the same consultant”. Polling Stations in September. Stand for your rights. 5 New Surgeon? Everyone at Noble’s has Vote all those that vote one. against you out at the The Consultants don’t just sit there and wait for people to come to them. They ballot box. hold defined clinics on whatever is their disciplines on specific days and surgery There are 16 of them on specific day. see our last item. We must know what this new surgeon is going to do on what days and at what times of the day. The Chief Minister claims Not after he is appointed, but before, “We are not a Banana Republic” they must have a Job Plan, as no-one will But he omitted to say what we take on any job without knowing what he were. or she is in for. So they must have one Maybe a Lemon republic? ready for the interview. Just look at the above waiting We must know what it is prior to the lists. appointment. It is enough for the Chief Minister Here is an eleven plus question for the to hang his head in shame. Minister What The Diabetic wants to know Mr Anderson is; Breast Care Services. ‘If a Gardener has a full 44 hours per The Minister for Health Mr Anderson week appointment book and he decides to finds himself in the middle of yet another go into window cleaning for half his 44 row on the Health Services. hours working time, by how many hours Maybe because he should be there to will his gardening service decline? ensure the welfare of the Manx patient, With Minister Anderson’s intransigent but instead his department is civil service attitude The Diabetic believes he would led, not politically led, that is his not have passed his eleven plus, neither problem. That is why they don’t listen to would others, but there you are. the people. The Chairman pointed out at the What he may not realise is that he will meeting, that by having a general surgeon not be returned, but all his civil service instead of a Breast cancer specialist, this advisors will still be there after the would exacerbate the waiting lists as the election. surgeon would be doing other surgery and In his usually cracked record, it has got not exclusively dealing with Breast stuck on Minister Anderson’s default surgery for their 44 hours allotted periods. position once again he says “The service This was phoo phooed by the will not be reduced”. Minister’s representative. This record keeps on being caught in As they claimed it would be 38.5 the same place far too many times. hours, then they said it would be 40 The Diabetic understands that there hours, until later settling for 44 hours. will be a reduction of from four clinics to Nevertheless Minister Anderson three. reiterated that the General Surgeon would But because of the way one of the be working the majority of the time on clinics is being set up, this means that Breast Cancer. there will, under the new system, only be Now according to the dictionary, which two clinics instead of the present four. Mr Anderson does not appear to have or Not a ‘reduction’ then, but as usual just to understand, it says “Majority is the badly accounted for. greater number (over 50% over half). What The Diabetic wants to know is Could it be that the Minister’s what the Job Plan is going to be for this ‘majority’ figures are 51% or maybe just 6 fifty and a half per cent? Or the the Isle of Man what kind of treatment equivalent of 50.001%. we are still they should and should not have? working the Cancer surgeon the In one of his rear interventions ‘majority’ of the time on Breast Cancer. Minister Anderson said he was a lay man, So Minister Anderson is economical but took advice from his experts. with the truth and playing with words. By his own admission another It is amazing that every body in the department that is Civil Service led, as he Health Department rallies around the did not take into account the wishes of the decision, except the patients themselves, people of the Isle of Man. who are at the receiving end, backed by His experts came under a barrage of the public at large as happened at the questions which over the night proved to meeting. make to many contradictory statements. The Diabetic wonders why? At the end of the evening Minister Mrs Brenda Cannell MHK and Mr Anderson in closing, explained that they John Houghton MHK are once again would not change their decision, and his arguing for the defence of the Manx position was intransigent. People. Mrs Cannell asked for a vote from These two MHK’s have always been those present at the meeting. by the public’s side arguing against the It the first instance she asked those injustices perpetrated on the Manx People present if they believed Minister’s by the Brown Government and his bloc Andersons assertion that his proposal was voters, and you should vote Mrs Cannell a step forward and that it would not and Mr Houghton back in again. diminish the service. This has led to the formation of an 5 People voted to implicitly believe the action group which culminated in a public Minister, (they had originally been sitting meeting at the Legion Hall on Monday 9th with him having coffee prior to the May last. meting). At this meeting Minister Anderson But when Mrs Cannell asked for those wheeled out the big guns of the civil who did not believe the Ministers service and the Medical Department, who proposals, the whole of those present by a answered all the questions posed by the massive show of hands, categorically floor on behalf of Minister Anderson, affirmed that they did not believe him and who was in the main conspicuous by his wanted a full time Breast Cancer silence. Specialist. Minister Anderson himself opened his Mrs Cannell undertook to continue the department’s position with a statement fight on behalf of breast cancer patients prepared by his Civil Servants which he and the Manx people, and promised that read as his own, thereby showing the she would take the matter to Tynwald. meeting that he knew nothing about Brest One of the founders of the Action Cancer and was just the puppet on the Group is Julie Stokes, who hopes that you string. will all support what they are doing. There were many angry interventions You can contact Julie Stokes on from the floor from the general public, telephone 484950. to give the Action some sufferers of breast cancer, and some Group your support and help. There is a with a terminal condition, which were website so that you can air your views glossed over by the Minister Anderson’s and add your signature and support on entourage. this vexed subject. In a question to Minister Anderson, The Diabetic understands that there are The Chairman wanted to know how over six thousand signatures collected someone who had been a farmer for thirty already. years was all of a sudden an expert in And like the petition the Chairman of Breast Cancer, dictating to the women of The Friends of the Manx Diabetic got 7 together on the Reciprocal Health Minister and are not diabetic, of what Agreement, Minister Anderson has diabetes really does to the patient and to already said that people are signing it, but their Health Department’s budget. that they don’t know what they are In the UK there are 2.3 million signing for, diabetics, with an estimated 1 million This is just the same lame excuse Mr others undiagnosed and the incidence Teare used to ignore the Chairman’s rises every year. petition. Here we have some 3,800 and rising on Isn’t there a similarity being a weekly basis, with a similar number entertained by the Health Department? undiagnosed. The Diabetic wonders who is giving Treatment can be complicated and the same advice to Mr Anderson that gave requires a lot of support in particular in similar advice to Mr Teare. time of illness. It appears that they have not yet been Sending them back to GP care to sack. artificially bring down the waiting lists is This would be laughable, if the not the answer. It is a disgrace, and an outcome wasn’t so serious. indictment of the Health Department, its The Chairman of the Friends of the Minister, and according to him his Manx Diabetic has spoken with Julie, Mrs advisors because he is not responsible for Cannell and Mr Houghton and pledged the decisions. the Group’s support for their endeavours. Diabetes is the commonest cause of Give Julie a ring now. blindness and foot ulcers. We cannot allow Minister Anderson Something that Minister Anderson and and his civil servants to trample all over his Civil Servants have not provided the Manx people. under their care in the community system It is time for the Minister to be voted for Type 2 Diabetic on the Island to be out at the September elections. returned to GP care. So do your duty at the Minister Adnderson say they will spend in due course £250,000 to provide Ballot Box this, when they already have the Manx Don’t Vote for Him. Diabetes Centre with a muti-disciplinary team that can provide all this, let alone an Opthalmic clinic. The Patient Refused In fact they are taking them away from a dedicated multi-disciplinary team at the Autopsy Manx Diabetes Centre with all these Note at end of a patients bed in hospital disciplines already in place. Diabetes also produces nerve damage, infections, amputations, heart attacks, Note for our Civil Servants strokes, kidney failure, depression, advising the Minister. serious pregnancy complications, erectile Just a reminder because we haven’t dysfunction and premature death. forgotten, and because Minister Anderson Minister Anderson and his civil said at the Breast Cancer meeting at the servants, not being diabetic, may not be Legion Hall, that he took no decision aware of this, hence their hasty decision without his advisors. for the return of type 2 diabetics to GP A National Diabetic Audit in the UK care. looked at diabetic care in 93% of Acute The Audit found that 15% of beds in Hospitals in England in a single day in hospitals on that particular day were November 2010. occupied by diabetics. The Diabetic would like to inform all Here we can’t cope with what we those Civil Servants that advise the require. So what would happen if there 8 were 15% of our diabetics needing Don’t think for one minute that The hospitalisation at the one time on the Isle Diabetic is advocating, that Diabetics on of Man? Where would they go? Would the Island should not go to their GP’s. Minister Anderson and his civil servants They do so every month for their set up a field hospital in tents at the Home prescriptions and for any ailments that of Rest for Horses car park? they might have, and GP’s do an Maybe this is what the Chief Minister’s excellent job, it is just that they are not forward thinking probably envisaged in diabetologists nor have a multi- due course, a field hospital on the car disciplinary team at their command. park site. But we must have a Diabetic Centre as The median length of stay was 8 days. the focal point for our Diabetes care, and Minister Anderson and his Civil the Manx diabetic patient must have a Servants would not be able to cope with choice as to whether they desire to go to 570 diabetics (15% of those in the Isle of the Centre or just see their GP or see them Man) needing hospitalization at the one both, this is their human right. Which time, for a stay of a minimum of 8 days in Minister Anderson doe not seem to hospital. understand. The majority, 86.7% had an emergency They should not be dictated to by admission. Minister Anderson and his civil servants, Oh dear, this is getting worse and who according to him, he is a lay man, worse for our health services, and for and relies on his civil servants who are Minister Anderson and his civil servants. not diabetic, to deprive the diabetic And now for the bad news: 37.1% of patients from seeing a multi-disciplinary inpatients with diabetes had experienced diabetic team. at least one medication management The DHSS at the time under Mrs error. Christian, and the Manx Government of 20% had one or more medication the day accepted the St Vincent management errors. declaration. There was a marked variation in One of its salient points was: prescription errors across more than “To Reinforce Existing Centres of 54.3% of patients. Excellence in Diabetes Care” Forty-four patients developed The above means the Department of ketoacidosis (severe uncontrolled Health have to enhance ‘existing Centres diabetes), and 266 severe hypoglycaemia of Excellence in Diabetes Care’, not (low blood sugar due to over diminish their activities by sending treatment). patients to GP care so that they can bring We must have a service that provides down the waiting lists. What a pathetic equal treatment for all and not different excuse. treatment at different surgeries, to ensure Our Health Department seems to have the same preventative care for all diabetic thrown overboard this salient point in the Patients on the Island. St Vincent Declaration and is blatantly The UK Health Department spends £1 ignoring it. million pounds an hour to treat diabetes So The Diabetic suggests that Minister in the United Kingdom. Anderson and his Civil Servants who are The Health Department here has no not diabetic, should take a leaf from what figures because they can not work it out. the St Vincent declaration stipulates and What is going to happen here if we enhance the Manx Diabetes Centre so that don’t provide preventative care for our they can embrace all diabetics. Manx Diabetics, how is our Department Increase the staff and the Clinic times, of Health going to manage when they that have remained the same as when they claim they have no money or resources? opened in 2000. 9 Eleven years have elapse and the It is hoped that this pack will help Diabetics on the Island have grown out of diabetics with the care of their feet. all proportion in the 11 years since the We would take this opportunity to Centre has been opened. remind you all that there is a High Risk No wonder they have a horrendous Drop in Clinic every Monday (except waiting list, 18 months, to the detriment bank holidays) from 1.20 pm – 2.20 pm, of our Manx diabetic patient. at the Manx Diabetes Centre at Noble’s Let us put our House in order or it Hospital. shall crumble and fall around us. If you have a problem use this clinic. The Diabetic calls on all diabetics in Mr Don’t forget to bring your list of Anderson’s constituency, not to vote medication with you. for him at the September elections. Their Telephone number is 642652 or 642656 The Friends of the Manx Diabetic are Note on hospital chart very happy to be able to help the Patient has left white cells at Podiatrist Department, and look forward another Hospital to their next venture together.

The Prosthetic and Orthotic Services. As you are all aware, the Friends of the Presentation to the Podiatrist Manx Diabetic have been fighting to get Department the Prosthetic and Orthotic Services to be Island Based and not coming over every two weeks. We started our arguments many moons ago when Mrs Christian was Minister for the then DHSS. At a meeting at Markwell House on 14th April 2008 with Mr Killip the DHSS CEO and Mrs Barbara Scott the Hospital Manager representing the DHSS and on The Presentation at Westmoreland Road our side Mr John Houghton MHK, Mr l-r Paul Rowley, Lisa Comiskey, Sheena Terry Marston a member of the Group Mair, Natasha Cowell, Henry Ramagge – of and the Chairman of the Friends of the FoMD, Julie Maddrell, Amy Metcalfe, Julia Manx Diabetic. Devlin and Brenda Williams of FoMD The representatives of the DHSS were given chapter and verse of how to go On Thursday 26th May the Friends of about it, including addresses of suppliers, the Manx Diabetic presented the of all types of equipment required, and Podiatrist Department with an papers to that effect were laid on the information pack for New Diabetic table. Patients. On our part we felt that providing the The printing of these packs cost the Service locally would be cheaper for the Group £1,500 and will be given out by DHSS, as any imported service would the Podiatrists to new diabetic patients. have an element of profit built in, that the The pack contains, information local service would not. amongst other items, Leg Exercises for All expenses incurred by the supplier Diabetics: First Aid for feet: Holiday foot for the provision of the service, like care; Foot care advice: The good shoe pensions, flight to the Island, wages, guide etc. hotels stay etc. etc, would have been included in the service fee proposals as 10 the Service provider would not work at a I am informed, the suppliers of the loss. Prosthetic and Orthotic Services have By having a local service the patients come to the end of their contract, I would would derive the benefit of having a respectfully suggest that we have a time constant presence on the Island and an on for a ‘moratorium’ and that the Friends of call facility. the Manx Diabetic’s proposals and During the meeting Mr Killip expenses paper as presented to the DHSS expressed his concern that the visiting at the meeting of the 14th April 2008 be service had the know how to provide the resurrected, brought up to date and required material for providing the considered in the interest of our disabled Service. patients”. This was shot down with facts and As the Department of Health, we figures, not to mention addresses of understand, has as yet not renewed or where all material could be accessed and appointed someone else, this is a time for purchased from by the DHSS. reflection and for proper action. It was proved at the meeting that it We are now in a time of austerity, as would be cheaper on the long run to have the Chief Minister is prone to say, it is in a local service, as the providers of any all our interest to have a local based service in question, we must reiterate, service so that they are available every have perforce to have inbuilt profits, as working day of the week and not once they do not work for fun. every two weeks, and it would be cheaper Mrs Scott did agree that the prosthesis to run. and Orthotic clinics had grown out of all Apart from the Prosthetist, Orthotist, proportion because of the number of and Technician, the rest of the staff are patients now making use of the Service already local. At the time the Chairman brought in As we have pointed out we wrote with the help of Mr Tony Brown then the our requests and observation to Minister speaker of the House but also the Anderson on 13th May 2011, yet at the Chairman of the Chronically Sick and time of The Diabetic going to press we Disabled Persons Committee, who after a have not even received an answer let lot of visits, nothing happened, he alone an acknowledgement from Minister relinquished his post and became Chief Anderson. Minister. Still nothing happened. At a meeting of the Tynwald Advisory We then tackled the matter through Mr Council for Disabilities held at Corrin Braidwood when he took over as Court Onchan, on Monday 16th May last, Chairman of the Chronically Sick and the Chairman once again took the Disabled Persons Committee from Mr opportunity to ask Mr Braidwood, its Brown. Chairman, to once again intervene on Again many visits and nothing has behalf of the disabled people of the Isle of happened. Man who use the Prosthetic services, and Now it has come to The Diabetic’s the Physically impaired who use the notice that the providers of the Prosthetic Orthotic to have this services Island and Orthotic Services have come to the Based. end of their contract with the Health The Chairman explained to Mr Department. Braidwood what was happening and read At present they appear to be working out from his approach to Minister out of contract. Anderson. The Chairman of the Friends of the Mr Braidwood undertook once again to Manx Diabetic has approached Minister take the matter up, and in this respect said Anderson on the above on 13th May 2011. he would speak with Minister Anderson In his e-mail the Chairman asked in when he saw him in Tynwald, the next addition to the above, “Mr Anderson if as day Tuesday 17th May. 11 The Friends of the Manx Diabetic are Are you going to protect the awaiting the outcome of the Chairman “vulnerable” or not, or is this just an Braidwood of the Tynwald Advisory election ploy? Council for Disabilities approach to Minister, the Disabled are also the Minister Anderson. “Vulnerable”. Again at the time of going to press we Don’t vote for Minister Quayle, he also have as yet not heard from Mr Braidwood voted against you at the October Tynwald as to the outcome of his discussions with on the rescinding of the Reciprocal Minister Anderson on Tuesday 17th May. Health Agreement. We just have to keep our fingers You have the power at the ballot box. crossed and hope that Minister Anderson Make HIM ‘Vulnerable’ and his civil servants awake from their see how he likes it slumber and see the light of day! Do not Vote for him.

The Leaky Buses Who is so slow that they After the debacle of the bus timetables need to speed up to stop? we have Mr Cretney the Minister, smiling Anne Robinson the Weakest link. and telling the BBC and everybody who cares to listen that he has leaky buses that cannot operate in the rain. Local News This is bringing our Island into Protect the most vulnerable disrepute. A laughing stock! Surely this is a disgrace to our Island Manx Social Care Minister Mr Martyn and instead of having a Minister in front Quayle after five years, has now vowed to of the cameras in sack cloth and ashes, we protect the “vulnerable” in the face of have one smiling as if it was all one big department savings. joke. Reminds us of Nero. Notice how he is saying now that he The joke is on the Manx People Mr will protect the ‘vulnerable’, when five Cretney. years have elapsed and he has said and What Mr Cretney forgot to mention done nothing. was that he should be giving all bus He even voted against the people on traveller an umbrella to keep them dry on the rescinding of the Reciprocal Heath the buses. That would have rounded off Agreement at the October Tynwald in the interview. 2009. In this time of austerity it would be Mr Quayle voted to abandon you. cheaper than repairing the buses. Maybe it is because the elections are This self styled “Man of the people” round the corner, and he has just realised also voted against you at the October that he has to appear to do something to Tynwald in 2009 on the Rescinding of the get his constituents to vote him back in Reciprocal Health Agreement again. He reminds us of Blakey. On the other hand 5 years have elapsed Man, resign, go home and watch since the Government passed the telly, but don’t take a bus……..walk. Disability Act in 2006 and they have done Vote him out at the Ballot Box in nothing about it’s implementation, and September we now await Mr Quayle’s costing report. Don’t vote for him. Where was Minister Quayle protecting the disabled, the “Vulnerable” in 2006? So how about it Minister Quayle, less The Development of the Bus waffle and more action, we want this Station. Disability Act 2006 implemented prior to Tynwald’s bloc vote voted for the the September Election. development of the Bus station in Douglas. 12 They even gave the prospective It appears that the Health and Social developers a 999 year lease. Care received 117 complaints in the last Do you realise that if William the five years. The highest number recorded Conqueror had been given a 999 year during the period. That must be why the lease on England after the Battle of Minister wants to tighten up on the Hastings in 1066 it would still be running “vulnerable”. today? The Department of Education and That is how long a 999 years lease is. Children received 42 complaints. But Well done, I believe that our now that the elections are round the Government at long last got themselves corner Mr Teare is listening to the people, into the Guinness book of records. so he says, but we have proof that he is Now we have Mr Malarley who not. Before he was putting up resolutions incidentally said at the October Tynwald in Tynwald to abandon the people, and in 2009 on the debate on the reciprocal get the Government bloc voters to pass Health Agreement, that, and we are them against you. quoting from Hansard, “We are aware The Treasury were on 27 complaints, that certain people are going to be hit Home affairs with 23, Infrastructure and very hard”….and then voted against you, Economic Development with 5 each, to hit you very hard. Food and Agriculture with two. Mr Malarkey now feels that a different They do not know as they have no type of development is needed on this overall figures available as to whether the prime site. complaints were disability related or not, But he voted for the one that is being although they claim that DEC records proposed and pursued and the 999 year show one of theirs was. lease. So we are as in the dark as they It appears that he does not remember themselves all are. what he votes for, because the same thing Incidentally they maintain that the happened with the Home of Rest for DEC is also the only department to Horses car park. confirm that a complaint against it was He wanted to know in the House who upheld. had voted all this money for the car park, They appear not to have any and was told that it was Tynwald and that information on whether any of the he had voted for it himself as a bloc voter. complaints resulted in disciplinary action |Another one that should be staying at or dismissal of staff. home watching telly. So there you are, because we can count Use your vote at the Ballot Box and we know that in total there were 221 don’t vote for him complaints against Government Departments. Complaints Against Government Out of which one complaint was Departments. upheld. The Health and Social Care What happened to the other 220? They Departments in answer to a question for must have been just in the imagination of written reply from Mr Peter Karran the the people that complained. Liberal Vannin Leader, who wanted to However we are told they don’t know know how many complaints were made what happened to the people that against each of the departments under the complained new Government structure, presents a It appears that there was one disabled confusing answer. related complaint, but out of the 221 Mr Karran also wanted to know how complaints nobody was disciplined. many were disability related and how The moral of the Story, if we did away many were upheld. will all the people dealing with these complaints that get us nowhere, we would 13 have more money available for frontline Another debacle from Mr services, as there appears to be no action Cretney, but as usual it is not his taken, but as usual we probably need a lot fault. of people to process the prevarications of It transpires that the department under the Government and the no action this ‘Man of the people’s’ direct control systems, to this none events. has fired five of his employees, Incidentally it appear that Mr Cretney’s The five workers are based on the department over this period had no Manx Electric Railways and the Isle of complaints at all, fancy that. Man Steam Railway, who unlike Mr However the Chairman did complain to Cretney are people who are experts in Mr Cretney personally so how come there their field. were no complaints, there must have been By firing these five people it appears at least one, the Chairman’s that the Brown Government will have So much for giving ‘freedom to resolved their financial difficulties. flourish’ First the debacle of the Buses and now Where is the ‘freedoms’ and where are the debacle of the Railways. we ‘flourishing’ to, or is it flushing to, What is Mr Cretney doing? with a bloc vote. He says he is the ‘Man of the people’. Vote the Block Voters out How come the ‘Man of the people’ is there are 16 of them. firing his own people? How can he be acting on behalf of the The Disability Discrimination Act people…….firing them. 2006. Mr Cretney’s excuse……..he claims he The Diabetic wonders how Minister was only informed of the views of the Quayle is getting on with the costing for five workers when he met them on the the implementation of the Disability Thursday evening. Discrimination Act. Remember this was Once again he proclaims loudly: passed in 2006 but as yet not “I find it hard to see how I can be accused implemented of sanctioning something that I was not aware of until after it happens” My Oh My, have you forgotten who is in charge of this department Mr Cretney? The sooner someone tells him that everything the department does is his responsibility the better.

Maybe we could have a plane flying He and his block voters have had since over the Prom with a banner telling him it 2006 to bring it in, but there were no is his responsibility. elections then. But the truth of the matter is that like Maybe he was too busy trying to look other departments his department is civil after the ‘Vulnerable’ and he had service led, and by his statement he forgotten that the disabled people of the admits he has no say in the matter, Isle of Man are the most ‘vulnerable’. nobody tells him anything, consequently Or maybe it is that he has just realised no control. that the elections are round the corner? So if he himself claims he is not Keep him out and let him become informed (nobody tells him) then they ‘vulnerable’ like the rest of us. must not tell him everything that is Then we shall get the Disability happening. Discrimination Act passed. What a way to run a department. Grow up and stop hanging onto the coat-tails of incompetence or sitting in trains for hours on end. 14 Grip reality, do not fire people. Now Access to Work can help the Even the Union Unite has taken a full physically impaired if their health or page advert in the local press on Mr disability affects the way they do their Cretney asking the people to use their job. vote wisely It gives them and their employer advice “WISELY” MEANS and support with extra costs which may arise because of their Physically impaired Just do not vote for him needs. again. The system of Access at Work which is in place in the United Kingdom, might No cap on election spending. pay towards a support worker or the Have you noticed what happens when equipment the disabled person may need it comes to the vote that directly affects at work. the bloc voting Members of the House of It can also pay towards the cost of Keys. As it directly affected the MHK’s, getting to work if the Physically impaired the block voters threw the Chief person cannot use public transport. Minister’s proposal for a cap on election (Thank God for that as Mr Cretney’s spending out. buses leak so they wouldn’t use them here However when it affects the people of anyway). the Isle of Man, like the Reciprocal Access to work, will also help the Health Agreement vote, and it is not near Physically impaired with a communicator an election, the bloc voters voted against at Job interviews, then Access to Work the people and to abandon them. may be able to pay the communicator Darwin’s Theory of Evolution at its most costs. effective, survival of the fittest, human In the United Kingdom you can get nature isn’t it? Access to Work if you’re: in a paid job, Its Me, Me Me. unemployed and about to start a job. Oh well its time to get the bloc voters unemployed and about to start a Work out at the ballot box , cap or no Trial, or if you are self-employed, and Andy cap. your Physical impairment stops you from being able to do parts of your job. Your Physical impairment or health Quote of the quarter condition may not have a big effect on “He had done his homework and what you do each day, but may have long he knew more about the Isle of term effect on how you can do your job. Man In the United Kingdom once you have than I did”. applied for Access to Work, and once (doesn’t say much about our your advisor has decided on the package Ministers does it?) of support they feel is appropriate, you Mr Bell on Manx Radio and your employer will be notified of the approved level of support and the grant available. Access to Work. This amount of help can pay up to In the United Kingdom because they 100% of the approved costs. have a Disability and Equality Act 2010 So where do we stand on the Isle of in operation they are able to look after Man? their people that are physically impaired In the last months we have voted and are ‘vulnerable’. through Tynwald by the bloc vote They also have as part of this what they something well over £111 million pounds term Access to Work, which is practical for projects around the Island, and on the help at work for disabled people. May Tynwald they bloc voted an extra £6,842,833 (Included above). 15 But the Bloc Voters have no money to In addition people cannot be spend on our front line services and the discriminated against or harassed because implementation of the Disability they are wrongly perceived to be Discrimination Act which was passed in disabled. 2006. In the Act, a person has a disability if: Do we really want all these Bloc They have a physical or mental Voters returned to the Keys and Tynwald impairment. The impairment has a to continue to ignore the wishes of their substantial and long-term adverse effect constituents and the people of the Isle of on their ability to perform normal day-to- Man? day activities. NO, People who have had a disability in the so use the Ballot Box, that is what it is past that meet this definition are also there for. protected by the Act. Do not Vote for the bloc voters. There are additional provisions relating Vote them out in September. to people with progressive conditions. People with HIV, Cancer or Multiple Sclerosis are protected by the Act from The UK Disability and the the point of diagnosis. Equality Act 2010. People with some visual impairments Whilst our Government has been are automatically deemed to be disabled. mucking about with the Disability Act The Act also affects your rights to 2006, the British Government has passed different areas of life, including accessing the UK Disability and the Equality Act and using services of shops, cafes and 2010. banks. So what is this? The question that we must direct to the From 1st October 2010, the UK Chief Minister and his block votes of the Disability and Equality Act replaced most Government is? of the Disability Discrimination Act Where is our Disability Discrimination (DDA). and Equalities Act? So we are once again running behind. What has the Chief Minister with his However, the Disability Equality Duty block voters been doing for the Manx in the DDA continues to apply. Disabled over the past five years?…… The Equality Act 2010 aims to protect nothing, they appear not to be interested physically impaired people, Mr Quasyle’s in the plight of their disabled people, the ‘vulnerable’…….remember, and prevent disabled people of the Isle of Man are disability discrimination. disenfranchised. It provides legal rights for physically They have once again abandoned the impaired people, the ‘vulnerable’ in the people of the Isle of Man. areas of: Employment, Education, Access Why, because we do not have a to goods, services and facilities including Compassionate Government to look after larger private clubs and land based all the people of the Isle of Man. transport services, buying and renting If the Government has a problem with land or property. Functions of public writing it, The Chairman of the Friends of bodies, for example the issuing of the Manx Diabetic is prepared to do it for licences. him for free. The Equality Act also provides rights They say that there are some 10,000 for people not to be directly discriminated people on the Isle of Man who are against or harassed, because they have an Physically Impaired, that is 1 in 8 of our association with a disabled person. citizens This can apply to a carer or a parent of Well September is the time, we have to a disabled person. use our vote. 16 10,000 votes spread amongst all out don’t apply for the job of carer, are an constituencies go a long way to get all the invisible but an extremely valuable Bloc Voters that abandon you out, and are “workforce” in our community. only there to climb the greasy pole and In order to promote the project they bloc vote for the Chief Minister. hosted a “drop in and find out more” If you vote them in again they are morning on 21st April last at their going to do the same thing to you again. headquarters on Glencrutcherry Road. The Ballot Box is calling to us all, let (Behind the Gymnastics Centre of us use our vote properly, so that we are Excellence). not disappointed again. Also St John Ambulance are holding at Let us through the Ballot Box their premises free Carer Support give them a taste of their own Sessions. medicine There has already been two last month which were the ‘Carer’s role’ and ‘First let them for once be the aid/Falls Prevention’. ‘vulnerable’ However there will be another two, one Don’t vote for any of the block on 1st June on ‘Continence/Safe voters. handling’ and the other on 15th June dealing with ‘Stress management/memory loss and dementia’. The problem with Political If you want to book a place, find out Jokes is they get elected. more or assist them in any way with this new wonderful and helpful project please contact; Myrtle Dubost St John Ambulance Care Carers Support Nurse lead campaign St John Ambulance Glencrucherry Road Douglas Or on Telephone: - 674387 Mobile: - 412284 The St John Ambulance are running a E-mail: - [email protected] campaign called; Help them to help carers. “Do you know a carer that needs a little help?” If so, they say the St John Ambulance Do you care for someone at home? have launched a “Free Carers Support” Do you feel isolated or under The St John ambulance Carers Support pressure? was developed in response to insufficient Would you like more skills and assistance for those who, for no personal knowledge? gain, look after a friend, relative or Or do you know someone who neighbour who needs extra care due to does? sickness, age or disability. If your answer is yes St John Ambulance claim that the to just one of the above. initiative of the mission of the carers Ring Myrtle Dubost at St John support is; Ambulance on tel 674387. To promote and improve the health and wellbeing of carers and provide practical training, support and guidance free of New Chairman for charge to assist them in the care they give. Castletown Commissioners. St John Ambulance point out Carers often go unnoticed by the rest of us, they 17 This was the proceeds of the Club having run a pool tournament with all proceeds going to the winner’s named charity We are very grateful for them thinking of the Friends of the Manx Diabetic and we can assure them that the money kindly Mr Jerry Ludford-Brooks. donated will be used exclusively on the Island. The Diabetic would like to congratulate the New Chairman for Castletown Commissioners Mr Jerry Ludford- News in Brief Brooks, wish him well in his elevation to The 10p pill that could save lives. the post, and a successful tenure of office A 10p pill that could be a for the coming year. breakthrough, to Breast Cancer is being We take pride in the fact that Jerry is hailed by researchers at the University of the Deputy Chairman and Treasurer of Manchester. the Friends of the Manx Diabetic. It is shown that it cuts off high energy We are all delighted with his food that fuels aggressive cancer. appointment. Metformin is already being taken by many of the two million diabetics linked to obesity and has few side effects. New studies now suggest that Metformin fights cancer. With diabetics taking Metformin they are up to 75% less likely to develop a range of tumours. They have also developed a test that picks out cancers that feed in this way therefore allowing Metformin to be targeted.

Beat Diabetes with Vinigar Tablets A trial at Maastricht University in Holland of 16 men with the condition will investigate the effect of taking a 1g Presentation by the RAOB concentrated vinegar tablet at meal times for six months. club of Ramsey The researchers will then access the effect on glucose levels It is believed that the vinegar slows the digestion of carbohydrates in the stomach and digestive tract. We shall have to wait and see.

Mulberry leaves to treat diabetes. Mr Jerry Ludford-Brooks and A team at the University of Mississippi Mr John Fletcher are carrying out clinical trials on 30 patients. The R A O B club of Ramsey made a Half will be given Mulberry leaf tablets presentation of £100 to the Treasuer of while half will be given a placebo. the Friends of the Manx Diabetic Mr Jerry Ludford-Brooks. 18 Glucose will be monitored first thing in Licensing Committee a couple of years the morning and then two hours after ago and we are glad that some of our dinner. recommendations have been taken on Again we have to await the outcome of board. these trials. Name:- Telephone No: - Buntys Taxis 835433 Does your wrist size matter? Ms V Fairhurst 461958 Scientists have found a strong RTS 481576 correlation between wrist circumference Telecabs 629191…..670266 and a major risk factor in 477 overweight Terry’s Taxis 842224 and obese children with an average age of T.F.T 611511 ten. Ballacabs South Ltd 498171 The link with insulin resistance was Protours (IOM) Ltd 674301 related to the size of the wrist bone, rather 81 Taxi 819191 than the amount of fatty tissue Paul Cromwell 488188 surrounding it. Mark Cowley 418110 Dr Rafaela Buzzetti from Sapienza Fax 626058 University in Rome feels that wrist Trimble Taxis 495282 circumference, if their work is confirmed Taxicabs 622222 by future studies, could some day be used A1 Taxis 623623 to predict insulin resistance and Mr P T Bell 623623 cardiovascular disease risk. Adaptable Travel 496000 Mr D Mazzotta 469646 Your digestive track. Please note that all the above Taxi We just thought that you might like to Operators can provide a pre-booked know that your Digestive track hosts up ‘Private Hire’ service, and have facilities to 100 trillion bacteria, and up to 1,000 for disabled hire. different species of bacteria. Also you must understand that some of This according to experts who have the Taxi Operator can only work on spent a life time counting the 100 trillion certain areas and the telephone number jostling for position in your stomach. should give you a clue. There is absolutely no truth in the If however it is a mobile, then when rumour that they lost count when they had you ring they will be able to tell you reached 99 trillion and one and had to whether they can do the service for you or start counting all over again. not. You must also take into account that Taxi Associations who have the carriage of a wheelchair is likely to be charged as an ‘extra’ on the taxi-meter, Wheelchair Accessible i.e. 50p per journey. We would like to Vehicles thank Mr David Callister MLC and the On request following discussions with Road Transport Licencing Committee for Mr David Callister MLC, the Road their help in publishing the above so that Transport Licensing Committee has very our disabled and physically impaired kindly supplied The Diabetic with a list of members are aware of which Taxi Taxi Associations that have wheelchair Operators can help them. accessible vehicles. We are please to print them here for you, so that if you are disabled or The Last Laugh physically impaired and need a Taxi you Three contractors are bidding to fix a know who can help you and who to ring. broken wall at Downing Street. They go The Friends of the Manx Diabetic with an office official to examine the made representations to the Road wall. 19 The first contractor takes out a tape It is payback time and we should not measure and does some measuring, then vote for any of those 16 MHK’s who works out some figures with a pad and voted against you. pencil. “Well” he says “I figure the job Mr Teare then Minister for Health will run to about £900: £400 for motion was; materials, £400 for my crew and £100 ‘ That as from April 1st 2010 the pounds profit for me”. payment of any NHS charges incurred The second contractor also does some by Manx residents visiting the UK is an measuring and figuring, and then says, individual responsibility’ “I can do this job for £700: £300 for The above is what the 16 MHK’s all materials, £300 for my crew and £100 voted for. profit for me”. In other words, we wash our hands of you The third Contractor doesn’t measure all, the people are all on their own, you pay or figure anything out, but leans over to for your health problems in the UK or if you the Official and whispers “I can do it for can’t, then get insurance, if you can get £2.700” insurance, if not, then become a prisoner on the Isle of Man for life. The incredulous official is taken aback The Diabetic must remind you once again and say “you didn’t even measure the that if you want to vote at the next election wall like the others, how did you come to you must be registered to vote. such a figure?” Check and make sure that you are The third contractor whispers back, registered on the voting list. “£1,000 for me, £1,000 for you, and we It is no good saying I don’t want them back hire the second contractor for £700 to fix in again, because they have done nothing for the wall.” the people, and this is the worst Government we have ever had. To get out The Chief Minister, Ministers and Members of Departments that use their bloc vote to vote against you in the October 2009 Tynwald, and other Government votes you must exercise you right to vote. Vote for anyone you fancy on the ballot paper but do not vote for any of the 16 that voted against you. However if you are not registered you will have no vote. Then there will be no point in Department of Health Notice amongst blaming others. some trees We must all have a vote, and exercise our vote to make sure that we do not elect those that voted against us, and abandoned us at the The Elections are getting October 2009 Tynwald back in again by closer default. Here is an important reminder to all So please check that you are on the voting register. diabetics Island wide, and to all our There are people dying in this world for members and readers of what you have want of a vote so make sure that your vote to do, prior and during the next counts. election. Whatever they tell you take it with a pinch The Elections are getting closer and it of salt. is time that we regrouped and reminded Already the Government has been ourselves of the 16 MHK’s who are the defeated with a twelve/twelve vote with the bloc voters and continue to vote against Speaker having to give a casting vote, and you, and who voted against you at the again a 10/10 vote on the election of a Chief October 2009 Tynwald. Minister. This The Chairman told Manx Radio months ago was going to happen nearer the 20 date of the elections, The Chairman knows how to read politics, but Manx Radio didn’t ended and accepted it believe him It is the beginning of the end for the in good grace” Government with the bloc vote disintegrating, because they want to be re-elected. In other words they rolled over to have This means that as the election nears they their tummy tickled. will continue to defeat the Government to No a peep out of them ingratiate themselves with you the people. Pay no attention to this ploy. Whist the British Government said They keep intervening in constant about the Brown Government: supplementary questions to let the people think they are still alive. They are even saying in their Manifesto “The Isle of Man and websites, that they worked very hard to get you the Reciprocal Health Agreement Government appeared when they all did nothing. See what the British Government says about them. to accept the scrapping Pay no attention to them, they are only of the Reciprocal playing to the gallery so that you vote them in again and they are re-elected and go back to Health Agreement” what they were doing before, voting against you. Whatever they tell you, this is the real Well, it is time to give them the heave ho. truth of the position of the Brown Don’t be put off by them saying ‘If you Government, its Ministers and its get rid of us you are going to get Department Members. inexperienced people’ or by telling us not to rock the boat. They Gave up the All they want is at all costs to get back in Ghost and threw in the again. Well they were inexperienced when they towel. first got in. But now they are supposed to be experienced, look at the mess they have got us into, so it can’t be any worse, but What an indictment on our with new people it could get better. In our September issue we shall Government and the bloc tell you who all these bloc voters voters? are, what they said to abandon you and why you should not vote Lets us have proper for the 16 bloc voters at the Government for the People September elections. So just a remember of what the and by the People British Government thinks about out And only you can do that at Government and what they said about our the ballot box. Government. Lord Back in the UK Said: There are people on our television screens dying The Isle of Man every day Government accepted, for want of a vote, that the agreement had you have one, 21 USE IT and let us get the Government that all the Isle of Man people deserve and as of right are entitled to.

We cannot accept a continuation of the present system that votes against the people.

As Unite says use your vote wisely