Nanny

Thanks for highlighting. Surely GDPR should protect against sharing personal data outside of the NHS? I wonder how COVID vaccination data will be shared via the NHS app.

My experience is that Southwark are inconsistent with rules associated with roof terraces in general. I've been advised by an architect it is not permissible, evidencing one on the corner of Heber and Cyrena was told by Southwark Planning that this had been granted permission because it had been there for a sufficient time without permission (12 years?) but one has just been newly constructed on the opposite corner of Heber and Cyrena, both are visible from the road as they are on a corner. Maybe there is now a precedent. Check with Planning, send photos of existing constructions. Good luck.

They are indeed having teething problems which is why this might not be the best veg box option at the moment. My daughter and I both ordered on the same day, 27th March, live half a mile apart, were both notified delivery would be Tuesday. She got her box as promised, I got an email informing me that my order missed the van and would be delivered on Thursday, it wasn't. I have no communication as to why or when it will be delivered, there is no way to contact them as they do not respond to emails and you can't call them. I've tried direct messaging by social media too (where it's apparent there are many problems) but am yet to receive a response. Payment was taken on 28th March, that process seems to work well. I ordered from Natures Choice yesterday and this morning they delivered.

Re. veg box delivery, Smith and Brock (Knock knock) seemed a good option but it is struggling with capacity as I ordered mine on 27th March, been given two delivery dates and they still haven't delivered. No way to contact them either as phone and email unresponsive. I have just ordered from Natureschoice, hopefully something will be delivered, at least one of them :-)

Moxons fishmongers on Lordship Lane are open and doing a delivery service. They also have shops in Clapham, Islington or S Kensington so if anyone needs food delivered to a relative or friend in those areas, that info may be helpful. Also I saw Christophers bakery in Half Moon Lane is open for bread sales as well as deli items and have ?30 mixed fruit/veg boxes. Any unsold bread at the end of the day is being taken to Kings College Hospital for NHS staff.

Long story short, check at this surgery if you are being seen by a qualified doctor. After some issues with the treatment I had received I learned that on the first appointment I was not seen by a doctor, but a nurse, aka ANP - Advanced Nurse Practitioner, I then had to have two further appointments with GP's and 3 trips to hospital for 7 blood tests. Apparently this practice has 10,000 patients and two GP's (counting the two part time GP's as one headcount). The data on the NHS Choices website is not current based on the information provided to me by the Practice Manager last week. It cannot attract salaried GP's or GP's wanting to work 5 days a week so they are supplementing with an ANP and on site Pharmacist to hit the ratio required. They have an obligation to advise patients if their appointment is with an ANP rather than GP, but I was not informed. I am not qualified to determine what level of medical practitioner I require, but nor are the reception staff allocating the appointments. In this case, precious NHS resources could have been saved if I had initially seen a GP. The system is broken as it allows GP surgeries to be run as businesses for profiteering and I was told if I want consistency in care then I need to register with a Partner led surgery where the GP's themselves have a financial interest in the surgery. Does that mean that part of the NHS is already effectively privatised?

I would also highly recommend Sean as a decorator. I had struggled to find a decorator I would use again but at last I have found a gem. Apart from doing a great job, Sean is reliable, conscientious, clean and tidy.

I'm also sourcing for a side return extension in ED and the architect has spec'd IQ Glass sliding, slim profile doors and IQ glass roof light, so any experiences/recommendations or feedback is welcomed as he's keen to spend my money and I want to research the best options and learn from other people's experience. Also keen to hear pros and cons of sliding and bi-fold doors from the kitchen to the garden. Has anyone had one type fitted but wish they'd chosen the other? Please PM me any advice or suggestions on side return extensions. It's a huge financial outlay for what is effectively a metre added to the width of the kitchen but feel the change in layout of the house will make it more useable for 21st century living.

Kaysie is responsive, reliable, flexible and a pleasure to deal with. I have used him twice for emergencies and he's managed to get to me promptly and charge a fair price. I highly recommend him.

I use a broker too and they selected Ecclesiastical for my renewal.

Immigration and the effects on children - I'd like to share some facts that many may not be aware of. The focus seems to be on immigration in generic terms and it is assumed the reference or 'the problem' is EU migrants. What about the rest of the world? Be careful what you wish for. Non EU economic migrants will likely have visas that state 'No recourse to public funds' so they have no option but to work to survive and are not able to claim benefits. The Home Office have tightened their rulings on allowing these people to remain in the UK as although for many years they never counted people in or out of the country, they now want to control numbers and these are therefore deemed the only ones they can target to reduce numbers, so the approach is to decline any extensions or permit any leave to remain requests for non EU migrants, despite allowing these people to remain here for many years, long enough to buy homes, raise families and live peacefully within the community, working and paying taxes. They are no longer welcome according to the Home Office, loopholes are being used to decline applications, lengthy processes are "starving them out of the country" a quote from one immigration solicitor. Abuse of the EU situation exists. People from non EU countries can trace ancestry to EU countries and obtain an EU passport, some EU countries limit this to within one generation, other countries don't (nor do they check the validity of the application). These are then able to claim benefit in the same way as any other EU migrant. That's clearly unfair to those following the proper channels. Children born in the UK to non EU economic migrants do not automatically obtain a British passport. Under EU law, once a child reaches the age of 8 they can appeal to remain in the UK but there is no guarantee it will be granted. Under English law the age is 10, it was raised from 8 a few years ago. Currently the Home Office only recognises UK law and to appeal under EU law is an expensive and lengthy process. If the Home Office refuse the parents visa, the child born here has no right to remain here, despite considering themselves British and having spent no time in their parents country of origin. 9 year old children face deportation to countries that are foreign to them, after the British government have invested in their education and health, paid for by their parents tax and NI contributions. Imagine sending your 8 or 9 year old child to live in a foreign country where they had to effectively start their lives over in very different circumstances, potentially being much less well off or in danger. Immigration is an issue but it is the rules applied that are the issue. They are not clear or democratic and at it's worst, inhumane as they are open to political interpretation of the moment. I am neither advocating remain or leave, I would simply like to see a fair immigration policy implemented across the whole of the EU. I am saddened by the behaviour of the Home Office and it's handling of an application I have personally witnessed as it is so obviously politically driven rather than following the rulebook of 'the best interests of the child'. Everyone seems to accept that there is a need for migrant workers in the UK. Is it beyond the realms of possibility to have a balanced and humane immigration structure in this country that neither favours or excludes people from any country to work in the UK? Can the Home Office accept the mistakes of the past, implement new regulations that are fair and operationally monitored to ensure that overstayers are managed appropriately and let people continue to live their lives here rather than kick them out?

I can highly recommend Gleicio who has advertised on here, I am now starting to tone and see some weight drop and he has even persuaded me to cut out the weekday wine! He has access to indoor gym training facilities now. His contact details are [email protected] or 07837 026091

My experience at this practice since I moved to the area a couple of years ago has not been positive. It took three sets of application forms to register with the practice (because the previous two sets were apparently 'lost'). I am fortunately in good health but the few occasions when I have tried to use the practice, particularly when I needed emergency care for chronic pain caused by an ear infection, I've been unable to get an appointment and resorted to private GP services, which I have used since. I was surprised to receive an invitation for a checkup to test for signs of CHD, diabetes etc. I welcomed the opportunity to be tested for these illnesses, phoned and found it easy to get an appointment. I even received a text reminder, things were looking up. On the day, the experience (and noise) in the waiting room was horrendous, people protesting, demanding and yelling at the reception staff, mostly stating their rights and demanding to be seen by a doctor. I felt for the staff but understood how these people probably felt, frustrated. I noticed a sign advertising an event on 1st April for patients to come and discuss their issues about the practice, I smiled at the irony of the date. Eventually my name was shown and the appointment was in a room upstairs....but I couldn't get beyond the upstairs waiting area because the door to the practice rooms did not have a handle and was locked shut, I waited for a while for someone to come out but nobody did so I went back down to the reception to queue behind the protesters until I noticed a man leaning over the balcony as if looking for a patient. I made my way up the stairs again to meet the on site pharmacist (who conducts the medicals), looking for his tardy patient. I mentioned that I had been waiting but there was a problem with the door and he glumly told me someone must have shut it.....not an uncommon situation for a door I thought but usually overcome by the provision of a handle to open it again. Medical complete, my results showed me to be below average, which for once was a good result. I had some questions which he said required a doctor to answer so he arranged for me to have a telephone appointment to discuss further with a doctor. My luck with appointments seems to be improving, when I don't have a medical emergency there is no problem getting one! Ahead of the phone appointment on Tuesday I received two text messages, one on Friday and one on Monday, both said "Dulwich Medical Centre Crystal Palace Road - Thank you for booking your appointment". Assuming there is a cost for using this text message service and that it is not used for gratitude but to serve as a reminder so people do not miss appointments, it lacked the critical data such as date and time of the appointment. The doctor did call me as arranged. She wasn't able to answer my question as she needed to refer to another department. When I suggested that my records should contain the information that was needed from my previous GP notes in 2007, it was a little disconcerting (but not surprising) to be told that not all data will be on my records as some data was lost when transferring to electronic records. There was no follow up appointment made, I'll wait a week to see if I hear back from the doctor. Clearly DMC CPR has organisation/management issues and struggles to provide the good people of East Dulwich with an efficient medical service. Having checked their website, the event on 1st April might have been the Patient Participation Group meeting that they hold every three months, however the newsletter from the last meeting in December suggested the next meeting would be 16th March http://www.dmccrystalpalaceroad.co.uk/website/G85651/files/DMC_e-news.pdf which mentions tackling missed appointments by sending text messages but even that appears to have failed if they are sending them without appointment details. I do not see any notes posted from a meeting on 16th March. I was not aware that there was a patient group that had a voice. The next meeting is on 11th June. http://www.dmccrystalpalaceroad.co.uk/ppg.aspx

Can anyone recommend a reliable, professional car service for regular daily return journeys from East Dulwich to EC2? We've been using Addison Lee but they have a shortage of drivers in S London and are increasingly unable to supply pre-booked cars on time so now considered unreliable. Keen Group car/driver standards too variable. Must be TFL registered with option for account customers.

I'm newish to the area and working hard leaves little time to organise my social life and make new friends in the area so it's great to see posts advertising events like this. I'm now aware of the ED Curry Club and gutted to realise I can't make their next date but notifications on FB will at least prompt me to their future events. I'm not a regular reader of this forum so sadly missed Thursday night, which I would have gone to. Does anyone think a regular venue/dates would be helpful? Maybe even an 'East Dulwich No Mates' FB page (joke, no offence intended, it could equally be ED Social Club)? I would consider volunteering to arrange an event and manage a FB page if I wasn't doing it solo. Lisa is hoping someone else will arrange the next event, I'm happy to help :-)

Another thumbs up for Niko, John Lewis guys couldn't install my new washing machine, Niko saved the day. Friendly, speedy and efficient.

Thanks Karen, good to know you've had minimal disruption. If I go ahead I would be keen to use local labour with considerate builders that understand, respect and follow the regs and H&S practices. That's what might be the biggest challenge so recommendations much appreciated.

Thanks Jeremy, tasteful and in good condition definitely pays. I've done the usual research on the property portals (finding the ?1M 4 bed semi on Crystal Palace Road!) but not been able to find streets around the Heber area with houses currently on sale with and without conversions to make that comparison.

Is it financially sensible converting the large loft of a 3 bedroom house in the Heber catchment area if we're not bursting at the seams for space but the roof does need replacing? Or should I save my money and just put in a couple of Velux windows to enjoy the good views over London? I have a couple of concerns; likelihood of recouping the costs on resale if I had to sell within the next couple of years (assuming property market stays stable)? Is it a valid concern that the terraces in ED have small gardens and when it comes to resale, a likely purchaser seeking 4+ bedrooms would prefer (but maybe couldn't afford) a house with a bigger garden? I guess having a garden in London, however small, is a bonus and there seems to be numerous loft conversions under construction in the area which would suggest that accommodation size is more important, but are they families forced to extend as it's probably cheaper than moving? I understand planning laws and building regulation/controls but any recommendations of contractors, suggestions or cautions appreciated.

Also recommend AGS, quick response and honest fault finding.

Strawbs, I expected this to touch a nerve with some as it's as controversial to suggest other people's children can be irritating as it is to make negative comments about minorities. I'm not childless and I do have more than 12 months experience of what environments children enjoy and I'd say they enjoy pubs/bars and restaurants as much as they enjoy being taken shopping. If you read my post thoroughly you will see that the context in which it was written was not to lecture or to suggest permanent exclusion until your children can vote, but to think differently about how parents socialise with their children - namely consideration towards the enjoyment being gained by all from their outings, not just the parents.

It's a tough moral dilemma that I battle with regularly as I see both sides. I'm new to the area and keen to experience the great cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants in the area. I know this is not limited to ED but it seems no place, even pubs, are a sanctuary to socialise without the distraction of children in some way unless beyond 9pm. I'm far from being a believer in children being seen and not heard, it is the norm in many countries for children to join their family and friends in restaurants and children learn a great deal of valuable life skills, but I do cringe when common sense and respect for others is totally overlooked and children are at risk of injury and clearly just unhappy in the environment. In an environment where hot food and drinks are being served and children are running around only partially supervised by distracted parents presents real danger to children. Children (particularly in cafes) restrained in buggies, screaming to be unleashed but prevented by the parent/carer is simply cruel. Buggies crammed into entrances and between tables makes it difficult for staff to wait at tables and limits trade, therefore it is not unreasonable to limit the numbers, as they do on buses. I've heard a woman tell a man in a pub one evening to stop swearing while children are present and seen a woman in a cafe change a baby's nappy on a table. Keeping a group of children quietly content at a table in a pub whilst their parents and friends are eating, drinking and conversing is the ultimate challenge. I concur with the previous post where a child was told to be quiet in a library, it's appropriate and it teaches consideration for others and it's that lack of consideration that prompts the eye rolling and huffing when in the presence of children and parents that seem not to care about others. At risk of being bombarded with comments by disgruntled proud parents, dare I suggest that sometimes socialising with friends at each others homes is more practical, safer and more enjoyable for the children, even if it's just a cup of coffee. Reciprocating babysitting and allowing a couple or friends to have lunch or dinner together without the children is likely to be more relaxing and enjoyable for the adults. It's unlikely a toddler/child requested going out for lunch/dinner and therefore they would have no objection to spending that time an environment fitting their interests. It's very difficult to have children fit into the lifestyle enjoyed pre-children and it's stressful trying to make that work. I would not want to see a return to the old licensing laws where children were excluded and smokers permitted but equally there's no fun being a bystander to stressed out parents trying to have a social life with unhappy children in tow. Within one generation there's been a huge change in our social culture, I guess in time we'll all adapt and accept so no apologies will be required.

Prompt and professional response to what became an 'aggro' job fixing some cowboy plumbing, but they were tenacious, tidy and got the job done. Highly recommend them!