Zebedee Tring

The discussion on this thread seems to have moved to a debate on the rights and wrongs of parents, when delivering or collecting their little darlings, clogging up the roads near schools, whether or not those schools are in the private sector. And indeed Sainsburys customers clogging up the roads near Sainsburys. However, what I said in my post the other day that appears to have sparked off this debate was as follows: ' ... as a resident of a road near Alleyn's ....why can't Alleyns and JAGS arrange for the coaches that bring pupils to the schools to be parked on the extensive grounds that they own instead of causing obstructions when parked on the public roads?' I would welcome views on this from ED board people, or indeed Alleyns School.

Although we didn't send our sons to Alleyns or any other private school (they went in gfact to the same comprehensive school as Julie Myerson's kids!), I don't have a major grouse against Alleyns pupils, who are in my experience a lot more normal than some of the snobby types that Dulwich College produce. However, as a resident of a road near Alleyn's, I ask why can't Alleyns and JAGS arrange for the coaches that bring pupils to the schools to be parked on the extensive grounds that they own instead of causing obstructions when parked on the public roads?

A pedestrian crossing is certainly needed between North Cross Road and the Goose Green roundabout. This must be the most intensively shopped part of LL, and people are therefore tempted to cross the road at dangerous points.

blinder999 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > what do you think pedestrians who step into the > road in front of cyclists without looking say? > From experience, I can tell you it's "Eff off you > cyclist @#$%&" I deplore that sort of behaviour as well. I do try to be consistent.

I too fully endorse what Huguenot says. I wonder what the people who ride bikes on the pavement say when someone allows their dog to crap on their doorstep. No doubt double standards apply.

Because, Keef, you expressed some reluctance to share the bus with "the elderly" to and from work. I'm absolutely sure that you would never have said that you didn't want to share the bus with black or gay people, so why is it acceptable to lump a group of people categorised as "the elderly" together in that way?

Those people who have recently been unhappy with the service provided by the Melbourne Grove Medical Practice will be interested to know that the Practice is conducting a survey of its patients' views. Since the Practice's contract is coming up for renewal next year, if you want to send a shot against their bows, you might like to complete the survey. The risk is obviously that the Practice might throw any critical survey. Arguably it is not an impartial survey since an independent body should be conducting it.

I thought that Bon3yard was being ironic. At least for his sake I hope he was; if not then I would hate to be one of his more elderly relatives.

Keef Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > No I wasn't feeling told off by either of you, > just thought I'd clarify my point a bit, as often > on this forum, something like that would soon have > me labelled as having the elderly. I spend most of > my working life with the elderly, I just do't want > to share the bus to and from work with them too > ;-) I have recently turned 60 and acquired a Freedom Pass, although I don't regard myself as 'elderly' - far from it. However, I've paid taxes for a considerable time and consider that I've earned the Pass. I also expect to be treated with a bit of respect by public servants, who indeed should show respect to everybody regardless of their age.

Fuschia Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Don't expect a response from Tfl. I have made two > complaints to them, and not even had an > ackmowledgement. A couple of years ago, the driver of a 37 bus refused to open the door to me when I was quite legitimately hailing the bus at the stop and pointed me rudely in the direction of the next bus stop. When I got on the bus at the next stop and complained about his rudeness, he told me to eff off, and when I not surprisingly objected to this he told me to piss off. I made a formal complaint to Tfl, who apologised for the driver's behaviour and indicated that they were taking some kind of disciplinary action against him. Perhaps the whole incident was on camera and therefore they had some evidence. So don't discount the idea of a complaint - it can succeed.

Cycling on the pavement was a problem a long time before the current roadworks. Cyclists can't use roadworks as an excuse for cycling on the pavement. If they hit roadworks, then they should dismount and wheel their bike along the pavement before rejoining the road. Or perhaps I'm a bit old-fashioned

On several occasions I have been nearly knocked down by cyclists and their children often wearing (horror of horrors) Dulwich College, Alleyns or JAGS blazers. What is the world coming to if the leaders of society (irony alert) teach their children by example to break the law? On one occasion my wife was walking along the pavement but had to step smartly out of the way to avoid being hit by a guy actually cycling on the pavement with his dog on a lead. And about a year I was nearly knocked over by the cyclist who went through a pelican crossing on red and was most abusive when I pointed out to him the error of his ways. I'm very pleased that someone is at last doing something to try to stop this curse. Until cyclists start to behave with the law they will get very little sympathy from me

Only a few years ago there was an albino squirrel in Ruskin Park, which is not that far away from St Francis Park. Perhaps the two are related.

I am absolutely appalled to read that Dr H has left. She and Dr B-G were (and indeed are) excellent GPs. Dr J is also excellent but he must be under a lot of strain at the moment if he is the only GP left. Dr H and co built up a really good practice before the PCT screwed them and awarded the contract to Concordia (an ironic name in view of the lack of concord in the practice at the moment). We will do our best to try to persuade the PCT not to renew Concordia's contract. But I fear that it is too late and that the excellent work carried out by Dr H etc has been almost totally undone.

So far, this story has not appeared on Ewe Tube.

One of the stories in Woody Allen's 'Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex...' featured Gene Wilder as a man who has an affair with a sheep. It was a send up of a genre of American film of the time about the adulterous husband, when typically his wife catches him out when she smells another woman's perfume on him. After a session in a hotel room with the sheep, Wilder is in bed with his wife and says 'Not tonight, darling, I'm too tired'. The wife then says 'John, what's that smell on you? Isn't that mutton?' Our Dulwich friend has obviously seen this film.

I remember being at university when 'Portnoy' was published. A woman who had read it told me that I would never feel the same way about cupcakes again. Or indeed liver. And she was right! I don't remember there being any sheep in 'Portnoy' unless there were some wandering around Central Park NY during a climactic event.

Sounds absolutely typical of the way that Melbourne Grove seems to be going at the moment i.e. backwards. Up to now I have renewed repeat prescriptions by email and will be v. disappointed if I can't do so now. Perhaps Alan Johnson should tell them that this is *OUR* NHS and is not run for the benefit of reception staff. It is also now the 21st century and it is standard business practice to use email - faxes are much less common.

No, I'm afraid I didn't, First Mate. I was in a major hurry, since I should have been at work a long time before, and in any case I don't think that the young woman at reception would have been prepared to give me any info anyway; I just got that impression. However, my wife and I will write to her c/o the surgery to thank her and wish her the very best of luck.

Today I attended Melbourne Grove and was given very good treatment by a locum nurse practitioner. However, I am sad to report that the rumour was true - I was told by one of the reception staff that Dr Brewe-Graves left the practice yesterday.

Is it my imagination, or have things got worse at Melbourne Grove during the last year, at least at the first point of call, i.e. the reception or the automated phone system?

Today I have had some experience of the wonderful phone diagnosis system at Melbourne Grove. I've been at home ill today after feeling rough most of the weekend. At about 10 today, I arranged with the practice for a named doctor to ring me at home between about 1.30 and 2.30. As I heard nothing from this doctor, I rang the practice a number of times between 4 and 4.45, only to receive a consistently engaged signal. I finally got through at about 5.10, only to be put in a queue. I was told that I was fifth in the queue - ten minutes later I was still fifth in the queue. I then put the phone down in frustration. In principle, the idea of phone diagnosis is ridiculous, since it is well nigh impossible for a doctor to diagnose the bug or virus or whatever I've got, or indeed most illnesses, without a physical examination. Things have certainly deteriorated since Concordia took over the practice. Like so many private companies involved in the so-called public sector, they clearly have found ways to make a profit and these have not been to the benefit of patients. There are numerous other examples, such as the company that now owns Thames Water, Virgin Rail etc etc.

Cassius, I'm afraid that the problem with the 'somewhat mercurial senior partner' was that when one saw her sometimes, she displayed the finest bedside manner; however, on another occasion, she was difficult, to the point of being objectionable. There seemed to be no reason for that, other than that her treatment of patients seemed to correspond with her mood and not whether or not one was 'swinging the lead'. When you're ill, the last thing that you want is to be faced with a moody medic. However, this is ancient history, and my concerns are now directed towards the future of the NHS, in particular the practical consequences of the flogging of the NHS to the likes of Concordia Health. When people say, 'Just imagine we could be faced with a Tory Government very soon', I am inclined to say 'But how would you classify the present Government, which is encouraging the privatisation of the NHS? That seems very much a Tory policy to me'.

I, too, would be very concerned if Dr Brewe-Graves were to leave. She was incredibly kind and supportive in relation to a recent tragedy that our family suffered and she spotted something that a rather poor locum missed. The rest of the doctors and nurses at the practice have been very professional and attentive, a massive improvement from the old regime a few years under the somewhat mercurial senior partner who managed to alienate most of the rest of the staff. At the time of the Concordia Health takeover, I offered my support to the doctors if they want to resist the proposals. However, I now fear that the possible departure of Dr Brewe-Graves and the new telephone diagnosis system are the thin edge of the wedge and that the practice's big improvement has now gone into reverse.

Since there is a cop shop in Lordship Lane on the corner of Whateley Road, can't someone get the Old Bill to pop along and obtain some first hand evidence with a view to prosecuting these people, if (and I emphasise 'if') they are making a nuisance of themselves? I speak as someone who has not had the fortune or misfortune to encounter them (these people that is, not the Old Bill). Or is indeed the cop shop still actually functioning in any way?