Let's Talk about Death

Message from the NE Director of Public Health… please complete the survey

North easterners are being asked to tackle a taboo and talk about death as the region launches the UK's first ever charter on end of life care.

The pioneering charter sets out proposals for the kind of care and support which people who are dying, their families and carers, can expect. Once agreed, it will guide those who plan and provide end of life care or support.

NHS North East has worked with a range of partners across health, social care and voluntary sectors, plus patients and carers, to produce A Good Death charter. A public consultation on the charter will run until December. It aims to gather the region's views and start a discussion about death and dying, an issue which is often avoided and ignored, despite being the one common inevitability we all share.

Professor Edwin Pugh, consultant in end of life care in NHS North East, says: "Death and dying is taboo, its reality is put off until the last minute. We live in an increasingly death-denying society, despite the fact that all of us will die. Death and dying is seen as a medical problem. Almost six in 10 people die in our hospitals, even though most people wish to die in the comfort of their own homes. The launch of this charter is the start of a process to make sure our society, and the support services people rely on during these difficult times, respond with compassion to the needs of those people who are dying and their loved ones. This is not principally about dying - it's about ensuring we live life to the fullest of our potential, with meaning and value, in whatever time we have."

The consultation on A Good Death centres on a questionnaire available at www.agooddeath.co.uk and research will also be carried out by an on street team in towns and cities across the region.

Town Council Survey

The latest Morpeth Town Council ‘Town Cryer’ is a special issue.

It’s a survey to try to find out how people in Morpeth rate the things the Town Council does at the moment – and what sort of services it should consider picking up during the imminent free-for-all that is local government re-organisation.

I’ve had a couple of people complain to me that it looks a little like electioneering, but I’ve been assured by the LibDems who currently run the Town Council that nothing was further from their minds.

Whatever…

It is actually very important that people respond to this survey: if we are going to retain any sort of local control in Morpeth, the Town Council needs to take responsibility for a number of things that the Borough Council does at the moment, and which could go to the new unitary authority, or be abandoned altogether if nothing is done. (allotments, grass-cutting, the market charter spring to my mind)

Trouble is – the LibDems running the Town Council are cautious about raising and spending Council Tax even when we are talking about relatively small sums of money – so they are looking to this survey to give them a mandate.

How Green are you? The Government speaks…

We’re all Green these days – so the Government has decided to grade us in shades of Green.

Almost a fifth of the population of the UK are a deep shade of green with a high level of concern for the environment and a commitment to doing whatever possible to tackle climate change. This finding comes a DEFRA-commissioned survey of attitudes and behaviours towards the environment in areas such as transport usage, including cars and planes; use of water and energy and views on waste.

As well as the ‘deep green’ group, the survey found that two other groups of people amounting to 28%, described as ‘concerned supporters’ and ‘sideline supporters’ are also able and willing to change their behaviour. These groups do need motivation for example by engaging them through communications, community action and targeting individual opinion leaders. Barriers such as lack of information and facilities also need to be removed. (ie local and national government have got to get their finger out!) Putting the three groups together means that almost half the population have a high potential and desire to do more for the environment.

The survey also identified a ‘waste watcher’ group and a further group of ‘cautious participants’ who were ‘willing to do a couple of things to help the environment, as long as they saw others were doing something’. These two groups amount to almost a quarter of respondents.

The third cluster of groups, amounting to under one fifth of respondents include the ‘Stalled starters’ with the attitude of ‘I don’t know much about climate change’ and the ‘Honestly disengaged’ who take the view that: ‘Maybe there’ll be an environmental disaster, maybe not. Makes no difference to me’.

Now all we need is some politicians at local and national level working to removed the institutionalized ‘ungreenness’ of government and economy, so they people can really live to their green aspirations

Vote for me – vote Green Party!

See DEFRA

Housing Need Survey

Some 11,000 households across the Borough have received a housing needs survey from the Council.

Unlike most consultations and surveys - this one is important because it'll be used by the Borough Council to claim money from central Government to help fund affordable housing schemes - and we have a real problem with house prices in Morpeth.

So - if you get a form, please fill it in and return it - even if you don't think 'housing need' applies to you - the Council needs to get a full picture of the situation.

Although the survey is several pages long and rather intrusive - it is fairly easy to fill in because it is asking for facts rather than views and opinions.

Deadline for returning the forms is Weds 2nd May

What do you think of the market so far?

There’s a survey about the Morpeth Wednesday Market in the latest issue of the Borough Council’s ‘Gateway’ magazine. I’m hoping that people will take the opportunity to respond to it – because (if re-elected) I’m likely to be working on further development of the market.

I’ve been on the Castle Morpeth Markets Partnership – which includes Morpeth Town Council, Morpeth Chamber of Trade and the Greater Morpeth Development Trust – since it was set up – and I’ve been chairman for the last five years.

So – I’m one of the ones to praise or blame for the transfer to the Market Place and the investment in new stalls etc. Of course, I think it’s a big improvement – though it could be even better – and I think we’re bucking the trend which is seeing markets across the country in decline. But – complete the survey or get in touch with me direct to tell me what you think…

If you haven’t seen the survey – and it’s only one page – get in touch and I’ll send you a copy.

I’ve also been responsible through the Markets Partnership for Morpeth farmers’ market – which I’m immensely proud of, and think is one of the best things the Council runs. There should be survey about Morpeth (and Ponteland) farmers’ markets in the June issue of Gateway – but you needn’t wait till then to tell me what you think about it.

If you’ve not been yet – do come along and see what Morpeth farmers’ market is about – Sunday 1st April and Sunday 6th May.

Election Imprint: Promoted by Nic Best, 57 Olympia Gardens, Morpeth on behalf of MidNorthumberland Green Party