Guest column: More nurses will be a huge boost for Bassetlaw hospital

I met with Jeremy Hunt MP, the Health Secretary, and had a productive discussion about how we can improve staffing levels at Bassetlaw.

I pressed him on apprenticeship-style courses to enable local people to train to be nurses through distance learning.

With his agreement, I hope to see Doncaster & Bassetlaw NHS Trust starting in-house training for nurses.

I understand they are already in discussion with Sheffield University about how to take this forward.

The trust is working closely with Doncaster and Bassetlaw CCGs in order to make this happen and there will be two separate and distinct cohorts for Doncaster and Bassetlaw.

I believe this will do much to relieve the staffing pressures at Bassetlaw.

I have met with parents involved in the campaign to save Bassetlaw children’s ward.

I believe that by improving staffing levels, we will be able to have a well-resourced hospital capable of housing the fully-staffed and fully-operational children’s ward our community needs.

The news that Stagecoach’s East Coast rail franchise will end early is incredibly disappointing.

This is the second time in under a decade that private operators have let us down on the East Coast Rail franchise.

Since the railways were privatised in 1995, fares have risen almost three times faster than the cost of living.

When the East Coast franchise was last in public ownership, it generated a surplus and paid back in to the state whilst giving a better service to passengers.

Back in public ownership and run well, the East Coast line can once again be an asset for our community and the country as a whole.

Charities and community groups can apply to receive grants of between £500 and £20,000 raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

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