GOOD AFTERNOON and welcome to my South West Surrey update No.161 As the second jobs row rumbles on it was also a significant Covid week with the introduction of mandatory jabs for NHS as well as care home workers. The PM also went back to Glasgow to try and secure more COP26 agreements this time and Richard Ratcliffe’s hunger strike is in its 19th day. As ever if you know anyone (a neighbour perhaps?) who might like to receive this email please forward it on. Anyone can sign up here to receive them and of course unsubscribe at any time.

PANDEMIC UPDATE As of 11 am this morning, we have had a total of 9,406,001 positive cases of COVID-19 with 142,338 confirmed deaths in the UK. There have been 13,794 confirmed cases in Waverley and sadly 245 confirmed deaths, with an estimated 503 active cases in Waverley. In the last week in the UK coronavirus cases are down 14.7%, hospital admissions down 8.4% and deaths up 1.4%. The ONS reports that the increase in case numbers slowed over a two week period although they still report 1 in 50 people in the community have the virus. There are still roughly 9,000 patients in hospital with the virus. This number hasn’t really changed much over the last few weeks hovering around that mark since 25th October. With far more people now getting the booster vaccine though things should hopefully start to improve on the frontline. We desperately need this to happen quickly though as many hospitals feel incredibly under pressure.

The key number to remember for anyone with pandemic-related difficulties remains 0300 200 1008 the Surrey Helpline run by Surrey County Council (Mon-Fri 9 am to 5 pm). See my list of local groups working to support vulnerable residents here.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER

COP26 HORSE-TRADING STARTS The Prime Minister headed back to Glasgow to try and make some further progress on the final agreement. The government wants other nations to agree to provide annual updates on how they are progressing towards their carbon emissions targets at a high level ministerial meeting on climate change. This sort of annual check in is a very effective way to keep the pressure up so is less bureaucratic than it sounds. 

NAZANIN ZAGHARI-RATCLIFFE Many of you have written to me in the last week expressing your support for Nazanin and her husband Richard, who is into his 19th day of his hunger strike. I’ve been to see Richard five times now including this morning when I delivered a cup of Pret hot water (it was black coffee before but he says that is starting to disagree with him). He  remains remarkably positive but I really hope he calls off the hunger strike in the next day or two - the happy ending to this story needs not just Nazanin to be free but him to be healthy. I have also called on the government to pay the money the courts have said we owe the Iranians including this morning with Nick Robinson on Today (1 hour and 32 minutes in). If it was ransom money I would not support paying it but we owe this money-  as has the Defence Secretary has said - and if it is what is needed to break the deadlock we should pay it. 

MANDATORY VACCINES This is a difficult decision but I think the government has made the right one when it comes to mandatory COVID vaccines for most NHS staff. In the week when it was revealed that nearly 12,000 people died from the virus they likely caught in hospital we really need to do all we can to keep staff and their patients safe. I would go further and do it for flu too - many of the arguments the Health Secretary used to explain it apply to all viruses with asymptomatic transmission. You can see Sajid’s answer to my question here. 

CANCER SERVICES INQUIRY Heartbreaking testimony from one of the witnesses to my Select Committee’s inquiry into cancer services as Kathy Hall told us of her experience of being diagnosed late with a rarer cancer. It wasn’t because of the usual resources/waiting time issues but the fact that as a young woman she was not considered likely to have kidney cancer - and it was only discovered when she insisted on having the lump removed. 55% of all cancer deaths are ‘rare’ cancers so whilst the new diagnostics hubs (including the one at Milford) will help, better training and understanding is also crucial. We don’t perform well at all in terms of survival rates for such cancers compared to other European countries and if we want to catch up we will have to address such issues. We also heard about the root causes of geographical variation in survival rates across the country with Professor David Shackleton of Greater Manchester Cancer highlighting the role deprivation plays - post-Covid it feels like health inequalities are going to come centre stage.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY

TRAIN TROUBLE Last Friday I met several concerned residents to hear first-hand, their very valid concerns about South Western Railways’ proposed December 2022 Timetable Consultation, meaning a reduction in local peak and off-peak train services in many local stations. Many of these changes are being proposed in light of the pandemic which has seen big reductions in commuter volumes. But it is not clear to me that we know what levels we will get back to (the pandemic is still with us after all) and the plans will force less eco-conscious behaviour such as more driving between Farncombe and Godalming (although where will people park in Godalming?).  Many students are also affected by these proposals as they use the Godalming and Farncombe trains in school hours, meaning children will be walking home in the dark and having to wait at Milford Station for up to half an hour each day, which is not viable long term. I have requested a further meeting with Claire Mann (South Western Railway’s CEO) before Christmas.

CANCER DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE One of the main things we need to do to improve cancer survival rates is diagnose people earlier so it is good news that 2 of the 100 new diagnostic centres announced by the government will be local - at Milford Hospital and Frimley Park. Read my article in the Herald as to why this is such good news.

SURGERY STORIES NHS pressures came up in my surgery calls today when I spoke to a man from Dunsfold who has been having horrible pain for over three years. He has paid for some treatment privately but now has to go back to the NHS where he has been put on a 'list' but nothing seems to be happening so I will take his case up. The NHS is brilliant but we should never have moved away from individual doctors being responsible for their patients and I hope we get back to that. I also spoke to someone who had experienced terrifying domestic violence about how difficult it is to come forward because she didn't see herself as a victim but as a survivor so was inclined to press on rather than report anything. When she finally did, she then found the process, including being forced to appear in a courtroom with her abuser, a nightmare. I will take up this and many other issues she raised with Eddie Hughes, the minister responsible for domestic violence

FARNHAM REPAIR CAFE Are looking for volunteers with electrical repair skills/experience/expertise, so do contact [email protected] if this sounds like you, or someone you know. Repair Cafes are free community-centred workshops for people to bring consumer products in need of repair, where they can work together with volunteer fixers to repair and maintain their broken or faulty products. The next Farnham Repair Cafe session is this Saturday, 13th November, so click here for more details. 

ARE WE AT A CROSSROADS? Click here to read more about Crossway’s upcoming open evening (25th November, 7:30pm at Haslemere Museum) with guest speakers sharing their own difficult life experiences. Find out about the resources available to help deal with common issues such as grief, addiction, eating disorders and relationship difficulties. Even better - the event is free, and will demonstrate techniques to help us be more mindful along with a discussion about the impact of Covid and Long Covid. 

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY Click here to find Remembrance Sunday services and parades happening near you. We have several local cemeteries where brave soldiers and civilians are laid to rest, such as at St Mary’s Church in Chiddingfold and Godalming’s Eashing Cemetery. I remember being particularly saddened to learn that at St Mary’s Church, lies one young soldier who actually died on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. We will never forget.

AND FINALLY a massive thank you to all the volunteers who made the Chiddingfold bonfire such a success last Saturday. The Hunt family were out in force and for a small village it was - as it always is - a terrific effort with an enormous bonfire, spectacular fireworks and a wonderful community spirit. What would Guy Fawkes say, though, about parliament today? Answers on a postcard...

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