Stroke services across Kent and Medway

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As South Thanet’s Member of Parliament, I will always do my best to ensure that the very best medical care is available to the people on our Isle. That is why, from the initial information I have from the Clinical Commissioning Groups across Kent, and based on evidence from the professional clinicians responsible for services, I have an open mind on the proposals to establish three new ‘hyper acute’ stroke units in Kent and Medway.

Let me make quite clear that nothing has yet been decided with consultations ongoing. It may be that any new East Kent 'hyper acute' unit can and will be based at QEQM rather than the William Harvey as a conclusion to the consultation, but the current proposal is indeed that such services will go to Ashford.

You can be assured that I am fighting for QEQM to maintain as broad a spectrum of full range services, and full A&E as part of this process. Given our geographical position, I have no fears at all that as full a range of specialisms as possible will remain at QEQM into the future. I would encourage you to feed in your observations into the process. It is the natural condition to be against change and to want all services as close to home as possible. But we live in a new age of medical specialism with many conditions now treatable and survivable: a position unthinkable just a decade or two ago. Should we suffer the misfortune of extreme cardio-vascular events or suffer extreme trauma from accident, it is highly likely that a London hospital will be the preferred option. Similarly, advanced cancer treatment using pioneering techniques are likely to be London based. The age of 'everything, everywhere' is no longer sustainable or desirable to achieve best outcomes.

My understanding is that, unlike our current stroke services, these ‘hyper acute’ stroke units would operate with a multi-disciplinary team of stroke specialists, providing expert care around the clock with consultants on the wards seven days a week. The new units will allow people to receive the best possible care in the vital first few hours and days immediately after their stroke – saving lives and reducing disability. Such 'hyper acute' centres, where they are a feature of stroke services in other parts of the country, have demonstrably improved outcomes. This should be at the heart of decision making.

Each site in Kent and Medway would also have an acute stroke unit where people may go after the initial 72 hours for further care until they are ready to be discharged, and have a transient ischaemic attack (TIA or ‘mini stroke’) clinic. Kent currently does not have any hyper acute stroke units working in this way; patients are currently cared for in general stroke units. Good as they are, they do not operate in such an advanced and intensive way and do not achieve best outcomes compared to other areas that have chosen the 'hyper acute' route for treatment.

Locally we are seeing Labour activists stoking up fear amongst the vulnerable about potential changes to stroke services in Kent. I can but hazard a guess that professional clinicians have a greater understanding of stroke diagnosis and treatment than Labour and Momentum activists. However, I would urge constituents to read the consultation document for a more balanced view and submit any concerns they have thereafter to the consultation.

Parliamentary Debates, insolvency rules and militancy within Labour

I should know when to keep my mouth shut. I took part in the second reading of the Financial Guidance and Claims Bill and was promptly put onto the team to take the Bill through its Committee stages. Despite the dryness of its title, the Bill aims to consolidate government funded advice bodies, particularly on pensions, into one new entity – the Single Financial Guidance Body. Additionally the Bill allows for mandatory breathing space for those facing pressure from lenders, and further adds controls over Claims Management Companies so that their fees are more closely regulated and cold calling techniques curtailed. And so this is a Bill that affects us all in one way or another.

Another recent parliamentary appearance was in the closing stages of the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill. If you’d like to hear me weave Google maps, errant sheep, a drunken cyclist and Arnold Schwarzenegger into a five minute speech in the Commons, you can view it here.

I got involved in the debate about the failure of Carillion which raises questions as to the effectiveness of current Insolvency rules upon corporate failures. Too often, those smaller companies down the supply chain find themselves unpaid and potentially facing ruin. This has to stop and I am calling for change.

The fight to stop live animal exports out of Ramsgate took a huge leap forwards. I hosted a hugely successful event in advance of the Rt. Hon Theresa Villiers’ second reading of her Bill to ban the trade. It was good to invite local campaigners from Kent Action Against Live Exports as well as a sprinkling of celebrities including Joanna Lumley, Selina Scott, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Frederick Forsyth and Jan Leeming. Following assurances given by the Secretary of State Michael Gove MP, Theresa has stood her Bill down for now. I honestly believe we are on the cusp of success in getting this cruel trade banned for good.

I am increasingly concerned as to the militant nature of the new Labour/Momentum campaigning style. The abuse and threats heaped upon my good friend Jacob Rees-Mogg MP at Bristol University were truly shameful. There are reports of increased anti-semitic and other hate crimes across Kent over the past year. The link between Labour’s new blind eye to holocaust deniers and terrorism supporters in its ranks and encouragement of direct action against anybody with whom it disagrees can hardly go unnoticed. We need to be vigilant against this new style of politics, it is insidious and evil.

Locally we are seeing Labour activists stoking up fear amongst the vulnerable about potential changes to stroke services in Kent. Whilst we all want everything, everywhere, increasing specialisation of medical procedures means that centres of excellence will increasingly emerge with better outcomes at the heart of any change. I prefer to keep an open mind on these matters during the consultation period. I may be wrong, but I am fairly sure that clinical professionals know more about stroke services than Momentum activists.

Craig welcomes investment in Manston/Haine Roundabout helping to unlock the homes Thanet needs

Craig Mackinlay MP has welcomed the announcement of over £2.5m for Manston/Haine Roundabout in Thanet.

The government has announced £866 million investment in local housing projects to help get up to 200,000 extra homes built. In Thanet this could deliver 198 homes by 2022, and 785 homes in total.

This funding will support local work that will make housing developments viable and get much-needed homes built more quickly. Without this financial support these projects would struggle to go ahead or take years for work to begin.

This government is committed to building 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s so more people are able buy a home of their own. The funding announced today is the first wave of funding from the £5 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund which is part of our comprehensive programme to fix the broken housing market that has left too many struggling to afford a place of their own.

This latest investment and will fund key local infrastructure projects including new roads, cycle paths, flood defences and land remediation work, all essential ahead of building the homes.

Craig Mackinlay MP commented:

“It’s great news that Manston/Haine Roundabout has been allocated over £2.5m to support local work in Thanet, so we can help ensure we build the homes people need more quickly. This funding could lead to up to 198 homes being delivered by 2022.

“We are determined to build the right homes in the right places and help the next generation to get the keys to a home of their own.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, said:

“Today marks the first step of the multi-billion pound investment we announced at the Budget to help build the homes our country needs.

“This fund finances vital infrastructure such as roads, schools and bridges, which will kick-start housing development in some of Britain’s highest-demand areas.”

Housing Secretary, Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, said:

“Our priority is building the homes this country desperately needs.

“This first wave of investment totalling £866 million will help get up to 200,000 homes off the ground, making a huge difference to communities across the country. 

“This is just one of the many ways this Government is taking action to get Britain building homes again.”

Craig calls for changes to the Insolvency Act 1986 in the wake of Carillion’s insolvency

Craig Mackinlay MP has called on the Government to amend the Insolvency Act 1986 in the wake of Carillion's failure.

In a Parliamentary Question last week to the Minister at the Cabinet Office, Rt Hon David Lidington MP, Mr Mackinlay raised concerns for subcontractors and suppliers further down the supply chain that are now likely to be left unpaid by Carillion.

As a result of this “domino effect”, the South Thanet MP asked whether now is the time to change insolvency rules to introduce an assumed Romalpa clause or similar, so that in the instance of the failure of a primary contractor such as Carillion, payments received post-insolvency from the head client of outstanding contract payments and invoices which include recognisable goods and services are directed to the relevant companies down the supply chain by the receiver, rather than the primary client making post-insolvency payments into a likely black hole.

This is not the first time Mr Mackinlay has called on the Government to give some consideration to a technical change to Insolvency Act 1986 rules, having first argued the case for this in a Westminster Hall Debate on Small Shops Regulation on 2 November 2016.

The MP made the call as the Business Secretary, Greg Clark MP, chaired the first meeting of a taskforce convened to support small businesses and workers affected by Carillion’s insolvency. 

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Craig Mackinlay MP, said:

“As a Chartered Accountant, still nominally in practice, clients that I have acted for and local businesses who have highlighted their issues as part of my constituency work have commonly been left unpaid upon a corporate failure in the supply chain above them. The typical situation is when there is a head client, with a primary contractor conducting mixed work. Beneath the primary contractor, particularly in construction projects, there can be many sub-contractors and suppliers reliant on the primary contractor for their payment based upon stage payments passing down from the head client to the primary contractor.

“In this scenario, upon the appointment of an Insolvency Practitioner (or in Carillion’s case the Official Receiver), the head client is called upon to pay any final stage payments and invoices outstanding into the black hole of the insolvency. After fees and payment of preferential creditors, the contractors and suppliers down the chain will typically receive nothing. These smaller entities are the typical small to medium-sized businesses and sole traders, the backbone of entrepreneurial Britain.

“Other commonplace scenarios are when a supplier of physical goods faces the insolvency of their customer, often with their goods still in situ within a depot, unpaid for and unsold. Again the Insolvency Practitioner takes charge, often implementing a fire-sale of stock and assets. A barrier to this is an appropriate ‘Romalpa’ or reservation of title clause in the contract for sale, so that the goods, if unpaid remain within the title of the seller. In such circumstances the supplier can recover the goods. Unfortunately the situation is rare, the clauses often contested by the Insolvency Practitioner usually leaving the supplier without their goods and without payout.

“The change that I propose would mean an assumed reservation of title clause in the case of goods and in the case of a more complex supply chain, the sub-contractor or supplier would receive payout direct from the head client for identifiable work bypassing the insolvency of the primary contractor.”

My thoughts on Ramsgate, Manston, church bells and trade

Ramsgate regeneration always occupies a significant proportion of my time, arguably more than it should given extensive similar issues in Cliftonville. I am not ‘the Council’ nor want to be, but too often I am drawn into issues when Thanet District Council simply fails to do the basics like street cleaning and rubbish collection.

My first Ramsgate Regeneration meeting of 2018 on 12th January had no hard and fast agenda, but was an opportunity for the regular attendees from across the community to highlight areas of concern and to fix strategy for the year ahead. We had a lively debate across issues of parking, litter, the port, Pleasurama (aka Golden Sands) and the dereliction of various properties in and around Ramsgate Town Centre. Lots for me and my office to pick up, again due to failures of TDC to do the basics.

The Local Plan rejection by Councillors of last Thursday 18th dominates local news and discussions, and so it should. I salute those Councillors who voted to reject the flawed plan that would have re-designated the Manston site as ‘mixed-use’. Despite a last minute compromise suggested that would have set-aside this aspect of the plan, I agree with Councillors that this was too little, and too late. I have been saying for as long as anybody will listen that Thanet with Manston for aviation is a wholly different Thanet from one without. The timings of the Local Plan and with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government pushing for completed Local Plans across the country adds to complications. It is now for myself and Sir Roger Gale to get the ear of the Secretary of State and to argue the case for the uniqueness of Thanet’s situation. Ideally, we need a Local Plan of two halves – a short-term plan for the next few years, and then a longer plan thereafter once the Manston issue is finally decided and settled. Politics is about the art of the possible.

In the southern part of the Constituency I’ve been fighting for Dover District Council to come to its senses regarding a noise abatement order issued against the 13th Century St. Peter’s Church which will force its clock chimes that have rung since 1779 to become silent by the end of February following a noise complaint by a single resident. This is in the realms of lunacy which adds to residents’ feeling, quite rightly, that the world has gone simply mad.

I attended a truly enlightening breakfast meeting at the Department for International Trade last week, chaired by the Secretary of State, Dr Liam Fox. We are not hearing enough of the excellent news coming out of that department. A substantial increase in UK exports, more inward investment to the UK in 2017 than any year on record, full manufacturing order books, successful trade delegations around the globe that are showcasing Global Britain and with it new orders and jobs. It is upon this background that I believe that a new Royal Yacht is important in a post-Brexit Britain – as a moveable showcase for the country that would return any capital cost within its first months in operation. Annoying to the Labour Party and those who support a Republic  I know – simply an added bonus to the concept in my view.

Finally a big congratulations to newly married local Councillors Paul and Carol Messenger. I was pleased to attend their reception held at the Pegwell Bay Hotel at the weekend. We wish them every happiness.

Craig signs Holocaust Educational Trust Book of Commitment

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This week, Craig Mackinlay MP signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment, in doing so pledging his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day and honouring those who were murdered during the Holocaust as well as paying tribute to the extraordinary Holocaust survivors who work tirelessly to educate young people today.

Saturday 27 January will mark the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, the site of the largest mass murder in history.

In the lead up to and on Holocaust Memorial Day, thousands of commemorative events will be arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country, remembering all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. The theme for this year’s commemorations is ‘The power of words’.

After signing the Book of Commitment, Craig Mackinlay MP commented:

“Holocaust Memorial Day is an important opportunity for people in South Thanet and across the country to reflect on the tragic events of the Holocaust. As the Holocaust moves from living history, to just history, it becomes ever more important that we take the time to remember the victims and also pay tribute to the survivors. I would encourage my constituents to show their support for such an important day.”

Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said:

“The Holocaust did not start in the gas chambers but with hate filled words. Our mission is to educate young people from every background about the Holocaust and its contemporary relevance. We are very grateful to Craig Mackinlay MP for signing the Book of Commitment, signalling a continued commitment to remembering the victims of the Holocaust as well as challenging antisemitism, prejudice and bigotry in all its forms.”

Craig highlights world’s largest unmet disability

South Thanet’s Craig Mackinlay MP has put his support behind Clearly – a campaign to bring clear vision as quickly as possible to the 2.5 billion people worldwide denied it.

At an event held in parliament this week, Clearly demonstrated the simplicity of the solution to uncorrected poor vision by inviting MPs and peers to take a simple vision check using a smart phone app, powered by Peek Vision, and put on a pair of glasses.

The Clearly campaign has had support from celebrities such as Annie Lennox, Lenny Henry, James Corden, Brenda Blethyn and Niall Horan from One Direction. They have called on Commonwealth leaders to put poor vision on the agenda of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London in April.

Craig Mackinlay MP commented:

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““Shockingly, a third of the world’s population, 2.5 billion people, suffer from poor vision, which is the world’s largest unmet disability.

“Nine out of 10 of these people just need a simple pair of glasses – a solution that has been around for centuries and can be produced for as little as £1.

“The ability to get a simple sight test and buy glasses is often taken for granted in the UK but it is something that so many around the world are unable to do.

“I’m joining the Clearly campaign and calling on the Government and Commonwealth countries to put ‘vision for everyone’ on the agenda of their Heads of Government Meeting in London in April.”

James Chen, founder of Clearly said:

“I am delighted that Craig Mackinlay MP has joined our campaign to help the whole world see clearly.

“This is an issue that has largely been forgotten but the solution has been on the end of our noses for centuries.

“Getting this issue on the Commonwealth agenda is a critical step to ensuring that those without clear vision are able to participate fully in life and fulfil their true potential.”