I have some concern at the pace things are moving since the NHS forced the closure of the Doctor's practice in Ardler.

The people within the community need to know more detail of the Health Board's intentions for the service delivery

How long each day will a Doctor be available for consultation in Ardler?·

What are the plans to improve health outcomes in the area?

I am sure you will have seen the article in the local press recently where an individual no longer receives a drug that was previously prescribed.

Within the article he said that he was now obtaining these drugs on the black market.

I believe his actions should be condemned - if he doubted the new doctor, he should have looked for a second opinion.

Although I fully support and agree that every individual should have regular reviews of their medication to ensure that they have the most up to date and effective treatment solutions, taking into account all new innovative advancements in medication technology.

However, having said that, can I ask what aftercare/monitoring is in place for a person to ensure there are no adverse withdrawal effects as they are offered new treatment?

The community is calling out for answers.

I would encourage you to start your consultation and make a press statement spelling out the Board’s intentions in detail.

I have only mentioned some of the concerns that require answers.

I would be prepared to meet and discuss my concerns further but my objectives remain the same as it was when first we met on this matter - we must ensure better health outcomes for our community.

I believe the longer people are kept in the dark, the less convinced they will be that NHS Tayside has their best interests at heart.

I should advise you that I have placed a Motion on the Agenda for Council in relation to this subject and have absolutely no intention of removing it until I, and the people within the Community I represent, are satisfied with the Health Board's direction and commitment.

26 February 2011

The number of nursing and midwifery staff in NHS Tayside has slumped to its lowest level in almost 4 years, according to new figures released by Marlyn Glen.

Since last September, the number of staff has fallen by 37, to 4,956 last month.

This puts staffing levels lower than they were in each of the past three years and lower than they were in 2007.

Ms. Glen said,

" Despite Scottish Government claims of sparing the NHS from cuts, the number of nursing staff in NHS Tayside has been falling since 2009.

"More over-stretched as well as fewer nursing staff is unwelcome news.  

"This results from even greater demands from the Scottish Government on health boards which are already struggling to find ‘efficiency savings’."

Number of nursing and midwifery staff in NHS Tayside at January 2011 4,956

Number of nursing and midwifery staff in NHS Tayside at September 2010 4,993

Annual Number of nursing and midwifery staff in NHS Tayside

2006 4,912

2007 4,995

2008 5,029

2009 5,079

2010 4,993

Jan 2011 4,956 – the lowest figure in almost 4 years

Source : (ISD Scotland data for September of each year and NHS Tayside)

25 February 2011

The gender pay gap is set to widen again, Marlyn Glen said today, commenting on figures she has received in response to a Parliamentary Question on the differences in pay between men and women.

She said,

"Unfortunately, the narrowing of the gender pay gap is set to widen again.

"This is because of the expected very heavy job losses in the public sector over the next few years.

"The public sector employs significantly more women than men.

"In addition there will be a public sector pay freeze.

"The optimistic view that the private sector can generate replacement jobs isn’t borne out by experience.

"In the last three years in Dundee there has been a net reduction of over 1,000 full-time jobs in the private sector.

"The pay gap between women in the public sector and in the private sector indicates that the sectors are, generally speaking, composed of different types of jobs and sometimes different conditions."

Dundee gender pay gap : Women face a "double disadvantage" on pay 09/02/2011

Jim McGovern condemns the impact of VAT rise on fuel prices 09/02/2011

Unemployment in the Brackens area has fallen slightly to 163 in November last year from 172 in the previous May, according to official Scottish Government figures given to Marlyn Glen MSP.

Ms. Glen commented,

"Unemployment is a deeply personal tragedy for those it strikes.

"It is set to rise sharply this year in the city as both Coalition and Scottish Governments’ cuts fall on the public sector in Scotland.

"The hope of the Coalition that public sector jobs lost will be picked up by a ‘resurgent’ private sector has little supporting evidence from Dundee.

"In the past three years the city has lost 1,100 net full-time jobs in the private sector according to official figures.

" What the city needs are measures that will equip its young people with this century’s job skills and measures which will protect those jobs we do have through economic growth."

Councillor Kevin Keenan, Labour group leader on Dundee City Council -

The SNP must reveal their spending cuts plan for Dundee immediately

When will the SNP Administration share their budget figures with the public, the workforce and the opposition Councillors in our City?

I note in the press that Angus Council is to be commended for its honesty as they have now advised their citizens that the cuts they have to impose will see 500 valued employees lose their jobs.

Whilst I often hear from Senior Officers of this Council that we must engage better with our Communities, there seems to be very little of this put into practice by the SNP Administration.

The kind of openness that we have seen from Angus Council has yet to be seen from Dundee City Council's SNP Administration as they have continued to hold secret meetings behind closed doors.

Even Freedom of Information Requests have not, as yet, been able to uncover their policies for Dundee's future that will see us through these difficult times.

Our SNP Administration, along with the Scottish Government, will not be able to hide cuts and job losses forever - people have the right to know.

If we just compare the amounts to be saved in Angus and in Dundee over the next four years, Dundee has almost twice the amount of cuts to make.

It is very regrettable that this Administration still look to keep things hidden from the very public they have been elected to represent.

It is equally regrettable that they continue to leave our valued workforce and their families with an enormous amount of uncertainty as to their futures.

Not just Angus, but other Councils up and down the country have laid down their intentions as to what their budget implications are to be, way in advance of any budget-setting date and I believe that this lack of information being provided in Dundee is a deliberate ploy of this SNP Administration not to allow the opposition Councillors the time to properly assess the impact on services and the needs of the people who require these very vital services.

We should also have time to consider the City's wider economy in anything brought before Council.

The Administration has set a date of 10 February 2011 when they intend to announce their budget.

They should share their intentions with the public way before this date to allow public scrutiny and not just rail-road their budget through as they have done previously.

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174 unemployed in Brackens

Cost of unemployment in Dundee estimated at £40 million a year

The latest numbers of those unemployed in Brackens is 174.

The figures refer to July of this year.

Present levels of unemployment in Dundee could be costing around £40 million a year, according to Marlyn Glen MSP.

An answer to her recent Parliamentary Question indicates that in July last month there were 5,094 people in the city claiming unemployment-related benefits.

Academic research suggests that the cost of unemployment per person is roughly between £8,000 and £9,000 a year.

Ms. Glen said

"People contribute to benefits through their taxation and national insurance payments.

" In these tough times, the money would be far better spent in providing productive work that matches the skills and talents of those who have lost their jobs and so get them back into the labour market.

"This would support the city’s economy.

" However, coming cuts in government expenditure will damage both the public and the private sectors and put the recovery at risk which in turn will cost us more in the long term."

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A report by the Scottish Local Government Forum against Poverty has revealed that cuts in benefits by the UK Coalition Government will take away between £17 and 21 million a year from claimants in Dundee.

Thousands across the city will be hit.

The figures come from a report from the Scottish Local Government Forum Against Poverty and from Rights Advice Scotland entitled "People, Councils, The Economy".

It details the effects of the UK Government’s changes in the benefit system from now until 2014/15 for every local authority area in Scotland.

The major benefits were selected for study were :

Housing Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, and Incapacity Benefit/ Severe Disablement Allowance

It forecasts the following annual losses in Dundee -

More than 75% of 2,820 claimants will be affected by total annual losses of approximately £1,281,000

Total number of claimants (11,290) will be cut by 20% leading to annual losses of £8,521,401

Total number of claimants (8,620) will be cut leading to annual losses in the range of £4,894,836 - £8,503,040

5,094 Jobseekers Allowance recipients will lose £242,756 annually

3,470 Carers Allowance recipients will lose £164,200 annually

4,790 Attendance Allowance recipients will lose £265,928 annually

16,725 families receiving Child Benefit for 27,185 children will lose £3,768,697 (£2,392,133

if CPI used) over the course of 3-year freeze (pro rata £1,256,232 each year)

1,740 Employment Support Allowance recipients will lose £101,338 annually

7,050 Income Support recipients will lose £410,592 annually

7,500 Incapacity Benefit recipients will lose £378,308 annually

Marlyn Glen MSP said :

" Benefits payments have been hit by this "tax and axe" Budget , making many vulnerable people much worse off.

"The sharp rise in VAT of £400 a year for a typical household , will hit the poorest members of society most since it accounts for the largest amount of their tax expenditure.

"Public expenditure contracts, the source of much of the work that the private sector depends upon, is being hit badly, and it fuels fears of a double-dip recession that will put many more out of work."

Jim McGovern MP commented,

"The findings of this report are disturbing but not surprising.

"Since the election we have been saying that the Tory ideological cuts will harm the poorest worst

"This report confirms that."

"Whilst this new government allows the bankers that got us into this position away unscathed they are targeting the weakest and most vulnerable in our society.

"It is cities like Dundee that will suffer most.

"That is completely unacceptable.

"I will be continuing to raise these problems in Parliament, and I will do what I can to oppose the Tories

and the damage their cuts agenda will have on my constituents."

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