Pugwash

We are with the Gardens - very happy with all the Drs seen. What is nice if they see you in the Supermarket or the gym they always acknowledge you and sometimes have a quick chat. Great nurses in attendance for diabetic check ups/smear tests etc. Sometimes hard to get an appointment but generally not a problem. The early morning and late evening surgeries are a boon. If they are running late the receptionists will usually give a reason why and apologize.

Oh no not again - I did some shopping in Waitrose in Beckenham a a couple of weeks ago as we had been given some vouchers. Got 3 bags of shopping for ?80 odd pounds, If you take ?12 off for a coupe of towels we purchased ?68 and we had not got half of what we normally buy. The deatest thing was around ?11 which was a bag of IAMS cat food on special offer. Considering we spend average of ?90 pw which includes cat food for 3 cats and end up usually with 6 - 8 bags, Waitrose is a 'luxury shop' like M & S for a family. Food did look nice I must admitt but way beyond of what we could spend in a week.

Details of public meeting being held on 1st Feb. see attatched Closure date changed to 14th February - please see corrected attachment

James. To let you know that DMC 100 hours pharmacy proposes to open 8 am - 10.30 pm Mon - Fri, 8 am - 10 pm sat and 8.30 am - 10 pm Sun. Public Meeting to discuss application will be held 6.30 - 8 pm Friday 1st Feb at the East Dulwich Community Centre, Darrell Road. SE22

Sitting here crying at the words Ben has used to describe his feelings - a brave and insighful father

I work professionally in a Health and Social Care position - unfortunately there is a rise of people targetting older people or other vulnaerable people and stealing goods/money. The older person does not aways report the crime as they feel that others may think them stupid/forgetful/demented. Sometimes when you have a conversation on the ward - incidents such as these get told by the person or friends and relatives visiting. Some people are targeted by specific individuals who keep coming back for more - threatening to kill a beloved pet, or harm the person. My lady was befriended in hospital by a so called 'hospital visitor' who discovered she was alone, nearest family outside London who rarely visited. This abuser continued befriending the lady (In ED) doing shopping, taking her to GP etc - once she gained her trust, she gained access to her PIN number, set up various acounts (conned person into signing forms), ordered goods over internet with lady's PIN and had them delivered to lady's house. Social Services became suspicious when lady let something slip the next time she was in hospital and a safeguarding adult investigation commenced alongside the police. Several months later, another elderly in patient was targetted by the same abuser posing as hospital visitor who when realised that this person was not really interested in her, phone the police. Charges were pressed - not sure if she has come to court yet.

A work colleague was buying an ex council property and had trouble securing a mortgage as the heating system had not been approved of by the council and they ended up waiting months for the council surveyor to check out the property. The BS surveyor had to recheck for the mortgage but they had to do some changes. I think it was something to do with the flue pipe for gas central heating was not sited where the council would have wanted it to be.

Yes - but my experience of the council thay suddenly turn up and say we are putting on a new roof - do not give you detailed breakdown of costs etc. Admittedly not all private landlords do. We were by default for a couple of years, freeholders of a large family property which included a leaseholder's flat, we had to negotiate with the leaseholder about costs, repairs etc. and come to a compromise.

If you have ever used the Out of Hours Service via SELDOC and need an urgent prescription - you have to travel to Streatham as the nearest all hours pharmacy. It was suggested at the last time this application came up that it made more sense to have a night time pharmacy based in Dulwich Hospital. Ther would be security already on site, people would not have so far to travel, had plenty of parking space. This was agreed to be a good idea by the then NHS Southwark. It would have been run by a private organisation not NHS. Basically the Drs at the DMC are wanting a quick buck. Reseach by the 2 residents associations (BARA and Crystal Palace Rd RA) found that the Drs at DMC were directors of a pharmacutical company based in Beddington Lane Croydon, Any money for precriptions received by NHS will eventually flow back to their own pockets. At the last application - the residents' associations legal expert also traced GPs and their spouses as directors to other medical supplies firms all over London (using company house details). DMC are not providing a 100 pharmacy entirely out of their concerns for the local community - it is a money making scheme. Unfortunately all the pharmacists who turned up at the first applications' meeting all those years ago, did not keep to their promise of providing a rota of late night pharmacys in Dulwich and Nunhead - so this is where the DMC has the advantage.

You could be liable financially for improvements made for the whole building i.e. If council decide to put on a new roof at ?8000 you may be charged for half of it. I would get a solicitor to look very closely at all clauses. My old neighbour purchased her 1st floor flat from the council and later regretted it as services charges paid did not guarantee the reliability of the service provided or frequency, and any improvements (the council's words) went ahead without consulting her and she just got an invoice.

Employers/ex employers are not allowed to give personal information out. Your best bet would be to write to Cherrycroft's head office and ask them to forward your details to Pamela at her last known address.

I changed careers at 40 and had a 4 year old and 17 year old. 3 years University for degree - travelling from ED to Barking, then 2 years post graduate at Goldsmiths College to get a professional qualification. Also had a hubby with a disability to care for who was in and out of work. Did much of my essay writing late night and early morning. A few years ago I had to update my professional qualification by taking further long distance studying with University of Bournmouth. That was far harder than the 5 years at Uni as was working full time, and getting much older and out of practice studying. My 40 year old daughter is just finishing a second degree as an OT, she started when youngest child went to school, worked part time when she could, took a year out when a close relative had a stroke and eventually died. Worked full time in an OT related agency job, returned to resit her 3rd year last April and is one assignment away of completing course. Frequently drove down to college 30 odd miles away at weekends to study in library and left partner to care for 2 kids. Only way could get assignments done in peace and quiet.

The Bread of Life is generally busy especially at lunch times, there are various activities for children at the Church, the ladies in the cafe can give you an idea what goes on. There is also the Fair Trade Centre which is open daily from 10 - 4 and Saturdays 10 - 1. No cafe on saturdays but the Fair Trade volunteers do cups of tea, coffee, hot chocolate for 50 p

Cherrycroft is a nursing home for people with dementia and has had a couple of owners. I am not sure who ( or rather which organisation) currently owns it and who owned it in 2011. If you go to the Care Quality Commission web site and call up CherryCroft you should be able to read all the inspection reports. On the front sheets of the reports it will give you details of the type of home, how many residents and who owns the home. It is highly unlikely that people will recall carers names back to 2011 as care staff usually change frequently.

Social Services would not be able to clear snow away but could probably give you details of voluntary organisations in Lambeth who could grit her path.

Has anyone got any suggestions to solve this problem. Hubby, without consulting anyone, purchased prior to Xmas at Bromley Superdrug, an electric toothbrush for grandson. Talking with our daughter, found that she has purchased the same one. Having a day off, I volunteered whilst I was Xmas shopping in Bromley, to take toothbrush and receipt back to see if I could get refund. Superdrug stated yes could have refund, but since hubby had paid by his debit card, they could not refund the money electronically without his card. I asked if I could have a gift card to the same value as we get lots of stuff in Superdrug. No problem, returned home with receipts, gave card to hubby. A couple of weeks ago tied to use it in Superdrug Peckham, did not work as Bromley had not activated it. Solution - was told to take card and receipt back to Bromley. Cannot find receipt as thrown away, but took bank statement which clearly showed purchase at Bromley. Bromley argued that without receipt could not activate the card, hubby showed statement and they said he could have purchased anything at the store and how were they to know that this was the amount on the card. Refused to activate the card which would have clearly showed the amount on the gift card. Hubby was not happy and asked to see Customer Relations Officer, was given a telephone number which was invalid. I have had many a store gift card and given many, and I have never had to provide a receipt to activate a card. Surely when the card is processed at purchase, the card is automatically activated when the amount is entered into it electronically. Hubby said he spoke to Manager of store, who even stated that how was she to know that the statement was hubbys ( he had an oyster card and al other ID on him). This to me is theft, I can understand if you had no proof of purchase then the store could be dubious, but you are often told by 'Which' that bank statements/credit card statements can be used as well to prove ownership. Has anyone got any suggestions . We are out of luck this year having purchased HMV vouchers for the kids and having to find alternative presents. We lost over ?80 when Virgin Stores went bust as had gift cards. Not in the mood to lose even more money when only one of us is working, by some silly ruling in Superdrug. Is this a case I should put to the Trading Standards Team in Bromley?

In the 1980s, hubby and I provided some unofficial respite care to a young man in his 20s, ex soldier, whose parents rang a thriving business in North Cross Road.'M' had been injured from a gunshot wound whilst serving in NI, and had recovered, a career soldier, he was heartbroken when some years later he was diagnosed with MS. It was thought to have been partly connected to injuries sustained in NI. His wife could not cope with the illness and took herself and their young son away from married quarters. 'M' returned to live with his parents, deeply affected by his illness, the loss of his job (was in the Blues and Royals)and his marraige breakup. A very attractive man, but women were looking at the wheelchair and not the man. He began acting very strangely, hugging women, attempting to kiss them, and behaving in a very sexual way. parents were at their wits end and tried to seek help from Maudsley who refused them. One day 'M' tried to grope a librarian at Dulwich Library and the Police were called. Having known this young man for a long time, the local police with the agreement of his parents, arrested 'M' and he was taken to Brixton pending trial. When the case came to Court. the magistrate ordered that 'M' be placed in the hospital wing at Brixton and Maudsley Psychiatric staff were ordered to assess him with in x days, and then admitt him to hospital. Without the help of the Police, who recognised that this young man had mental health problems (later recognised as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) who had tried to seek help for him via Maudsley themselves, who took the dramatic step of arresting him.'m' would have been like so many others, living on the streets. After a long inpatient spell,he was placed into a care hime in the Midlands.

The Children and Young People Centre ( Michael Rutter Centre) at the Maudsley may be able to give some advice

There was a TimeBank in ED but it does not appear to have run for about a year - it was lead by one of the Housing Associations in ED and met at the Community Centre

Although I may moan and get down about hubby, I would much rather be with him than without him. We did have a trial seperation many years ago when his illness cost him yet another job ( he has had around 40 jobs since his late teens) but we saw each other every day and I worried too much about him being on his own. Our 30 year plus marriage I think has survived that long as we each have our own interests and groups of friends plus joint interests. I go and do my community work thing when he is down so have some company and respite from the depression. Is there sufficient interest for a one off social meeting for all EDF bipolar carers/sufferers, just to exchange views etc. I am very connected with the ED Community Centre and could possibly get some meeting space

My hubby when not in a depression, is thoughtful,helpful, fun to be with (most of the time) very interested in Art and Music. Delivers leaflets for Dulwich Picture Gallery and attends many of their events, goes to Poetry reading groups, helps with our residents association and community centre, helps out at a hospice shop, walks a friend's dog, swims and goes to the gym. He tries when he is 'normal - high' to keep himself occupied, but I have to watch him as he can easily wake up one day in a deep depression and then rarely get out of bed for 3 - 6 months and lose a stone in a week from not eating. Those periods are the worse - long periods of silence, being on my own - I tend to work late until 7.30 or 8 pm and go into work at weekend so that I am doing something constructive and stop myself from getting low as well with the pressure We both have a odd sense of humour and do much bantering. I am lucky that I am rarely off sick from work and I have been told that I am a positive influence on my colleagues as I can see situations from a carers point of view and can emphasise with many of my clients

As long as they still have a disabled loo downstairs

I had a case this week where a lady fell in Penge, LAS were going to take her to Mayday A & E, son kicked up a fuss so LAS took her to Kings.If this happens to people in Lewisham - they are more likely argue for a Kings or St. Thomas's A & E rather than PRoyal or QE. Many people when taken to A & E at Kings are often admitted for overnight stay in Observation or Clinical Decision Wards for further assessment - some are returned home others admitted. Unless there is some arrangements made a Lewisham patient could come to Kings, stay on Obs or CDU, and admitted. It could be that once patient assessed as needing further in patient stay, a lewisham resident from Blackheath, would be transferred back to Lewisham Hospital. I gather from the paper today that over the festive period, mums in labour were sent to QE and PR as Lewisham and Kings maternity Units were full. There is a danger that medical information readilly available at one hospital would not be so easily accessed at another.

As part of my job, I am required to assess Southwark residents who find themselves in non Southwark Hospitals. From camberwell by ordinary car during the day it can take upto an hour to get to QE Hospital in Woolwich (so around 30 - 45 mins from lewisham borders). Due to the poor transport links to QE most people arrive by car. To find a parking space it took me over an hour as my 'official hospital badge' at the time did not allow me to park anywhere not a KCH site, so had to join the wait with others People living near the Lewisham end of Southwark i.e Forest Hill Road/Brenchley Gardens, Woodvale, Sydenham Hill usually get taken to Lewisham A & E rather than Kings and admitted to Lewisham Hospital. Under the new system they would go either to Kings, Bromley or Woolwich. Kings was on Red Alert last week and trying to discharge people quickly from the wards to free up beds - with more people arriving via A & E Kings could be overloaded

I have been informed that ED police station has now been sold off. Currently housing CID officers whilst Walworth PS is being refurbished, and also the Safer neighbourhood team. Once these teams have moved on. the place will close down. The CID officer who informed me stated that he thought that a property developer had purchased site