George Orwell

Well ...... I am a less than satisfied 'customer' and have pretty much literally voted with my feet to reluctantly stay. Why ? Convenience: I can walk to the practice, drive and park easily or catch one bus with bus stops near enough to the door at each end. Attending any other practice would need a longer walk in combination with at least two buses each way or driving. That type of journey may well be beyond me in years to come. So I grit my teeth and more or less tolerate the admin incompetence as the constantly changing GPs are generally OK ish. I'm staying put and just moan about them occasionally.

It seems that those who suffer from Atrial Fibrillation (irregular heartbeats) are likely to have an attack of the heart wobbles around 24 hours after a jab (both Pfizer and Astra/Zeneca). The relevant patient forums are abuzz with accounts. If you are someone, or you know someone who suffers from AF, it is better to be forewarned.

Here's a place to start: https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk/postcode

You could 'glue' it together using resin for concrete / masonry. You'll need a skeleton gun (?2 ish)and I'd get a couple of extra nozzles as it really goes off quickly when warm. In this cold weather it will take ages to set, so take your planter indoors for a day to let it warm up. It's a genuine 10 minute job when you get yourself set up and prepared for it. https://www.toolstation.com/fischer-fis-p-plus-injection-polyester-resin/p20881

A 68 year old I know locally had a text invite to attend Guy's or St Thomas'. He went to Guy's where he got the Pfizer jab but declined the free tea or coffee afterwards. Another local person I know, 67, got a text from KCH inviting attendance at KCH or PRU. 36 hours later had an appointment at KCH where they got the Pfizer jab and a 'I've had a jab' sticker but no tea or coffee. Both trips were efficient and all done, including waiting, within the hour.

How about: WC waste is blocked and poo is backing up into kitchen sink. Tenant removes connection in outside pipe work and the problem is ?solved? !

Sorry peckhampam but I must disagree with you. The appalling service from KCH has been an issue for at least 15 years in my experience. I have resorted to pretty much all methods to improve contact with them - often, but not always ending in failure. This has nothing to do with Covid-19 or winter flu. It is incompetence and lack of attention by management.

I have had more appointments than anybody would really want at KCH over the years and I completely agree about the appalling phone service. It's been like this for years and just doesn't improve.

Non-Essential - Unintended Consequences and all that !! On Friday I very urgently needed some mobility aids for someone leaving hospital. The Physios and Occupational Therapists advised me to try The British Heart Foundation as the 'always have plenty of what you need in stock'. Well, they're all shut. Without these 'non-essential' items the patient would have remained blocking a bed in hospital. I've sorted it all out now thanks and we have what we need. It did though cause a lot of extra stress and hours of hassle when it was imperative to get them out of a potentially covid infected area ASAP.

Fleet Street Clinic, who do jabs for just about anything, are booked up about a week ahead for flu jabs. Unfortunately they cost ?35 a go ! https://flujabs.org/

" Why are we bothering? " Indeed. I visited my GP's premises last week for an appointment to get my flu jab. The receptionist at the door had her face mask on below her nose. Before I let her get anywhere close to me to take my temperature I insisted she pull up her mask and over her nose. She complied while moaning "I can't breath with it". I reckon we are all doomed - so many people are either ignorant or really don't care.

Seriously - there are numerous worldwide reports of low pitched hums. Sometimes it?s far away machinery, sometimes traffic and sometimes - nobody knows. Unfortunately I can?t help here but only sympathise.

Feel free to call me a cynic but . . in my view the ONLY reason the government is not advising the wearing of masks by the public is that as a country we don't have enough. Just take a look at how official NHS PPE instructions have changed over the last month or so in favour of more PPE as more supplies are becoming available to front line staff. I simply don't trust them

I fully accept that closing it down is wise to reduce contact. We?re in isolation ourselves. When it returns it might be an idea to revamp the section in some way - perhaps into categories. At present any new posting disappears from the first page and ends up lost in a mass of items. I suspect many people just can?t be bothered to scroll through page after page to find something they want.

This is my first ever gentle moan to any forum administrator - I know it?s a tough job. But, why did you take the trouble to consult and give half an hour for observations and then go and do it.

Any post arriving here nowadays just sits on the floor for a couple of days before touching it. The letter box gets disinfected too.

yorksgirl - I am with you 100% regarding getting one's will sorted out soon. We here have been dithering over updating our wills for maybe a decade - always putting it off until tomorrow. Tomorrow has come ! We've now done them and will be doing the signing/witnessing in a day or so.

Try these brokers. They have served me very well on a house with previous subsidence. https://www.riskalliance.co.uk/private-clients.html They search out the lowest quote every renewal time. It's even gone down this year. Currently with Hiscox.

" Might be abandoned but council & DVLA can?t touch it as it isn?t breaking any rules." Not so sure - it still needs insurance if on a public road. Check its insurance status on askmid. https://ownvehicle.askmid.com/

These 2 sites may be useful to those who are interested: https://collage.cityoflondon.gov.uk/quick-search?q=Crystal%20palace%20High%20level&WINID=1576166213483 https://medium.com/@videosoul/mapping-the-crystal-palace-high-level-railway-15fda3176b9d

I thought it was only me who couldn't find any info about the location of this school and precisely what the money is to be used for. I won't be joining in.

A private house in King's Grove Peckham and Dawson's Heights both get a mention in a Guardian article about architects' first commissions. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/jul/27/six-leading-architects-first-commission-norman-foster-asif-khan

Captain Marvel said "poorly built? It's over a hundred years old and the only thing bringing it down is the wrecker's ball" How I agree ! However fit for purpose, super insulated and environmentally friendly together with being supposedly low maintenance I can absolutely guarantee that it won't last 50 years.

Yes, as an absolute minimum, a night latch (like a Yale type) and a good mortice lock made to BS3621. "A 5 lever mortice lock is an absolute essential for front and back doors. Many insurance companies specify that as a minimum a BS3621 five-lever mortice lock must be fitted to all external doors. ... Most mortice locks have a lever mechanism - the key operates a series of levers that open and close the bolt." I have bullied all my friends and relatives to have a yale type and two mortice locks - one mortice near the top, the yale in the centre and one mortice near the bottom. The one at the bottom, say 50cm off the floor improves the security when the door is kicked. A good lock shop (e.g. Callow - I'm a satisfied customer only) will make up two mortice locks that work off the same key to make life a bit easier for you. In addition I have two rack bolts.

"Recommendations or avoids?" I'm tempted to say don't get ill or move house. I certainly wouldn't waste my time trying to go this surgery. Years ago (about 20!) when I too was suffering years of chronic back pain with no apparent cure I chanced on the British School of Osteopathy and was examined by a student under supervision. They quickly diagnosed a degenerative arthritic condition and I was advised I take the X-rays and their diagnosis to a GP as the gatekeeper to a Rheumatology consultant appointment. Since then the NHS hospital consultants have done a decent job of keeping things more or less OK. Regrettably the GPs don't really know much about the condition.