Manx Government Renews Disabledgo Contract
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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 Diabetic off Island The Best and most Informative Diabetic Newsletter on the Isle of Man Issue number 29 Date: June 2010 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. Remember as from 1st April you need travel and repatriation insurance if you go to the United Kingdom The Group that fights on behalf of the Manx people without fear or favour The Love Letters The Secretary of State Capitulates to People Power The Secretary of State’s Comments to the Chairman Interview with Mr Robert Fayle, Gynaecologist Nobles Hospital In this issue Quote of the quarter The Love Letters From the I.O.M. Minister for the Treasury. The Ex Secretary of State capitulated to people “The Future is Uncertain power The Ex Secretary of State’s Comments to the But I am sure it will be Bright Chairman Interview with Mr Robert Fayle Gynaecologist Nobles Hospital The New Secretary of State for Health in the The Love Letters. UK The Diabetic has had sight of the Love The UK Elections and Proportional Letters exchanged between our Minister Representation for Health and the new Secretary of State Manifestos as Manifestos go The new Island Minister for Health for Health in the UK the Rt Hon Andrew Manx Government renews DisabledGo Lansley. Contract Chairman’s report on the Tynwald Advisory Council for Disabilities Is this reality? News in brief The Fable The Last laugh Those not to vote for at the next election. The Hon David Anderson Minister for Health In Tynwald on 18th May 2010 the Minister for Health, The Hon David Food to eat in Food to take away Anderson announced that he had written Food for thought to the New Secretary of State for Health the Rt Hon Andrew Lansley Are all available at congratulating him on his appointment. Feegan’s Internet Lounge 8 Victoria Street, Douglas The Minister said, “I was delighted to hear of the appointment of Mr Andrew Lansley MP to the vitally important post Turning specifically to the issue of the of Secretary of State for Health in the UK’s reciprocal healthcare agreement UK. with the Isle of Man, this is something I have sent a letter congratulating him that we clearly need to address ahead of on his appointment, as well as looking the end of September and I look forward forward to working with him to reinforce to working with the Isle of Man the close links between the Manx and UK Government on this matter. Health Services for the benefit of Yours ever residents of both jurisdictions and Andrew Lansley. strengthening our close relationship”. The Diabetic does not want to dissect Mr Anderson also pointed out that he the reply as it would come as too much of also mentioned in his letter, that the a shock to the Minister, and we don’t preparation of a draft new Reciprocal want to rain on his parade. For starters it Health Agreement is well advanced and does not mention the “Advanced new suggested that they could usefully meet in draft Reciprocal Health Agreement” the due course to discuss areas of mutual Minister says he has, and which no one is interest, including the Reciprocal Health aware of its contents on the Island. This Agreement. should be made public so that we all Mr Anderson was delighted to have know what he is up to. now received a reply from Mr Lansley The Letter from the Rt Hon Secretary dated 19th May 2010, and he said in of State is just a Love Letter of thank you Tynwald quote “I am extremely pleased and nothing else. to have received such a prompt and So far it is all pie in the sky, because positive response which bodes well for the Minister of State does not even the future relationship between the UK acknowledge any kind of draft agreement, and the Isle of Man Health Services”. nor is he meeting the Minister, but as The Diabetic is publishing Mr Lansley puts it he has immense number of Lansley’s reply that ‘bodes well’ talented capable people trusted to do the verbatim so that there is no job. misunderstanding: There are words hidden in the Dear David Minister’s rely, that send shivers down Thank you very much for your kind our backs, like; letter of 12th May congratulating me on “Just as Britain needs a strong and Stable my appointment. It is an immense Government” “There is much to do” privilege to be appointed Secretary of “Ambition to achieve the best Health and State for Health and just as Britain needs Social Care Service” “This is something strong and stable Government, so we we clearly need to address” “Look intend to bring to the NHS the consistent, forward to working with the Isle of stable reform, which enable it to deliver Man Government on this matter”. improving quality of care to patients. To name but a few statements. There is There is so much to do. If I have learnt nothing in the letter to suggest they have one thing over the six-and-a-half years as a draft Reciprocal Health agreement for Shadow Health Secretary, it is that in the after the end of September in place like Health services and social care we have our Minister keeps harping on. immense number of talented, committed What we have to do is demand a and capable people, who want to be meeting, and set out our stall, and lets trusted to get on with the job. It will be forget about Love letters that are played my task to enable them to do this, with out for the Gallery and which our our shared ambition to achieve the best Government continue to misread. health and social care services anywhere Lets all wake up to reality and in the world. get on with it, we, the people are sitting in the wings, and want Surely you would not like the Tories to action, not who loves you baby. come in (if they do), for them to resolve Make no mistake Minister, we the this issue when you have it in your power people shall step in if things go belly up. to do so yourself. In the meantime it is no use getting on ones high horse and saying again and The Ex Secretary of State again we have taken the decision and Capitulated to People Power that’s it. Due to the inactivity of the Manx So I would therefore respectfully suggest that we postpone the cut off date Government in renegotiating some form st of a new Reciprocal Health Agreement of the 1 April, and have a moratorium of six months. with the UK Government before the st deadline of April 1st, the Chairman of the This would take us until 1 October Friends of the Manx Diabetic and like next, time enough to sit down and minded friends called a public meeting at dispassionately review the matter after the the Legion Hall in Market Street, Douglas election. on Monday 8th March last, to discuss the If you agree with this last paragraph rescinding of the Reciprocal Health please let me know and I shall inform the Agreement and what actions should be Manx Government accordingly. Needless taken on behalf of the Manx people. to say your decision is now extremely urgent as we are running out of time”. The Public meeting unanimously decided on a resolution to be presented to the Manx Government by Mr Cannan MHK at the March Tynwald on similar lines. This was scheduled for presentation at 2.30 in the afternoon. The Resolution read: - Doreen Smith. Edith Quaggin, Simon “This meeting requests and requires the Richardson, Henry Ramagge and Chief Minister and Government of the Theo Fleurbaay. Isle of Man to defer the closure of the Reciprocal Health Agreement for a maximum of six months to enable negotiations with the next UK Government and in that period the Isle of Man Government fund Manx residents receiving NHS treatment in the UK and UK residents visiting the Isle of Man. A scene from the meeting And further as a contingency, to The meeting, with the threat of a develop a travel levy scheme for demonstration outside Tynwald, and universal insurance”. pressure by Andrew Mackinlay MP on We also agreed at the meeting to hold a the Secretary of State, galvanised Andy public demonstration outside Tynwald. Burnham to agree to what we were asking This was arranged by the ladies, Mrs for, a six months moratorium to enable Edith Quaggin, Mrs Doreen Smith of our Government to discuss the matter Manx Blind Welfare and her staff, with further. the help of other ladies to whom the The Chairman had also written to the Manx people should be eternally grateful. Secretary of State saying: - During the morning session of “Unfortunately this is something that Tynwald the Chief Minister and other will not go away, and in an election year members of Government in answer to it is better to have it resolved, than to let it questions from the floor, for the fester when you go to the country. umpteenth time trumpeted that everything vocal outburst and he would clear the that could be done had been done, but that public Galleries.