Sir Rod Stewart pays for patients’ scans as he calls for nurses’ wages to rise

Published

2 years ago

February 24, 2023

admin

Sir Rod Stewart has told Sky News he backs pay rises for nurses and junior doctors while warning against a move towards a US-style healthcare system.

The singer paid for members of the public to have scans at a mobile scanning unit in Essex today, which he pledged to do during a Sky News phone-in about the state of the NHS last month.

Speaking to Sky News presenter Sarah-Jane Mee today, he said: “There must be enough money in the coffers to pay up for these nurses.

‘Demoralised and angry’ junior doctors announce three-day strike – follow live

“Only two years ago we were clapping and now listen – they worked so hard.”

He added that counteroffers made by junior doctors in their negotiations, who have today announced a new wave of strikes, were “reasonable”.

The government is currently holding talks with nursing unions around pay and conditions.

Sir Rod warned: “If we don’t have the NHS, it will be like the United States.

“When you go into an emergency, they say, ‘right, go through your documents’ and it’s unbelievable in America.

“It doesn’t work there either, but I think it’s working better than [it] is here at the moment – we must pull it together.”

Sir Rod, speaking about his pledge to fund scans for members of the public, said: “If this is a big success, and I think it will be, I’d like to do it in Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and just keep it going.

“I hope some other people follow me because I want to prove I am not all mouth and no trousers – and that’s why I’m here to prove that I’ve followed through.”

When he phoned Sky News last month, he explained he had been to a private clinic on Harley Street in London for his own scan, but had arrived late – only to be told the clinic wasn’t busy anyway.

“I thought, this is a terrible injustice – so here we are.”

One of the patients whose scan was paid for by Sir Rod said his procedure was “much needed”.

Edmund told Sky News: “I’ve been waiting a month, so I had a bit of problem with a sciatic nerve in my back and down my legs, which is the reason I needed help walking around.

“It’s difficult to sleep and various other things, so I’m really pleased for it to be done so we can find out what’s wrong.

“I’m retired now officially, and what have I been paying the last 40 years for? He shouldn’t be having to subsidise it to get the actual MRI scan done.”

Omarie, who also had a scan paid for by Sir Rod, said he “starstruck” by the singer.

He added: “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I waited for months for the scan… on my knees. It’s amazing. God bless you and God bless him.”

When contacted by Sky News for a response to Sir Rod’s comments, the Department of Health pointed to a joint statement it released with the Royal College of Nursing on Tuesday.

This announced that the two sides had agreed to enter into “intensive talks”, during which strike action by nurses would be paused.

“Both sides are committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement that recognises the vital role that nurses and nursing play in the National Health Service and the wider economic pressures facing the United Kingdom and the Prime Minister’s priority to halve inflation,” the statement said.

“The talks will focus on pay, terms and conditions, and productivity enhancing reforms.”

Sir Rod also spoke of his support for sending jets to Ukraine, saying: “If I’m going to get political, I think we should send the Ukrainians our F-16s – that’s up to you, prime minister.

“I’ve been supporting them for years – I have a flag and I wear a blue and yellow suit for a song and dedicate it to them.

“And we feel very strongly about it because if the Ukrainians lose, it’s the end of civilization as we know it. You know, it’s all over F-16s”

UK

Teenage girl killed on M5 in Somerset after getting out of police car named

Published

5 hours ago

November 15, 2024

admin

Teenage girl killed on M5 in Somerset after getting out of police car named

A teenage girl who was killed after getting out of a police car on the M5 in Somerset has been named.

Tamzin Hall, 17 and from Wellington, was hit by a vehicle that was travelling southbound between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton shortly after 11pm on Monday.

She had exited a police vehicle that had stopped on the northbound side of the motorway while transporting her.

A mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is now carrying out its own investigation into what happened.

Avon and Somerset Police said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss.

“A specially-trained family liaison officer remains in contact with them to keep them updated and to provide support.

“The family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”

The police watchdog, the IOPC, has been asked to investigate.

In a statement, director David Ford, said: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.

“We are contacting her family to express our sympathies, explain our role, and set out how our investigation will progress. We will keep them fully updated as our investigation continues.”

Paramedics attended the motorway within minutes of the girl being hit but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The motorway was closed in both directions while investigations took place. It was fully reopened shortly after 11am on Tuesday, Nationals Highways said.

UK

Mohamed al Fayed’s brother Salah also abused women, say female Harrods employees

Published

5 hours ago

November 15, 2024

admin

Mohamed al Fayed's brother Salah also abused women, say female Harrods employees

A survivors group advocating for women allegedly assaulted by Mohamed al Fayed has said it is “grateful another abuser has been unmasked”, after allegations his brother Salah also participated in the abuse.

Justice for Harrods Survivors says it has “credible evidence” suggesting the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated at Harrods and the billionaire’s properties “was not limited to Mr al Fayed himself”.

The group’s statement comes after three women told BBC News they were sexually assaulted by al Fayed’s brother, Salah.

One woman said she was raped by Mohamed al Fayed while working at Harrods.

Helen, who has waived her right to anonymity, said she then took a job working for his brother as an escape. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted while working at Salah’s home on Park Lane, London.

Two other women have told the BBC they were taken to Monaco and the South of France, where Salah sexually abused them.

The Justice for Harrod Survivors representatives said: “We are proud to support the survivors of Salah Fayed’s abuse and are committed to achieving justice for them, no matter what it takes.”

The group added it “looks forward to the others on whom we have credible evidence – whether abusers themselves or enablers facilitating that abuse – being exposed in due course”.

Salah was one of the three Fayed brothers who co-owned Harrods.

The business, which was sold to Qatar Holdings when Mohamed al Fayed retired in 2010, has said it “supports the bravery of these women in coming forward”.

A statement issued by the famous store on Thursday evening continued: “We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation, as well as support from a counselling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.

“We also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate.”

The Justice for Harrods Survivors group previously said more than 400 people had contacted them regarding accusations about Mohamed al Fayed, who died last year.

One of those alleged to have been abused is Bianca Gascoigne, the daughter of former England player Paul.

Speaking to Sky News in October, Gascoigne said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by al Fayed when she worked at Harrods as a teenager.

UK

Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman

Published

5 hours ago

November 15, 2024

admin

Wes Streeting 'crossed the line' by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman

Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.

Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.

MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.

But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.

He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.

Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.

👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈

“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.

“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.

“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.

“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”

Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.

She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.

“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.

The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.

Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.

The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.

MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.