MATTERS
JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2013
HEALTH INSIDE:
i Alternative solutions p22 i Health Inequalities p28 i Caring for a nation p27
Birth of the NHS 65 years of the NHS we salute the African Caribbean nurses, past and present who have helped to make the British health system
OPEN HANDS
Wellbeing & Counselling Service (OHWC)
‘A place of wdelhlnelesp’s, relaxation an
Join OHWC for our Business Networking & Pamper Day
Saturday 7th September
Venue: Marriott Hotel, Northampton
FREE HEALTH, WELLNESS & BEAUTY CONSULTANCY
Nominal charge for stalls – BOOK EARLY! Pampering t Beauty consultancy t Relaxation t Male grooming t Spa t Massage t Hands & feet t Audible relaxation t Nails and lots more... Call Paulette now: 079 7364 0987 or book on line at:
www.ohwellbeingcounselling.co.uk Why not reserve your place at the same time for OHWC’s first. Wellness Retreat for 2013, 15-17 November at the luscious Marriott Hotel, Northampton TBC
OHWC - Membership available. Only £1 per week
HEALTHMATTERS
22 | THE VOICE JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2013
Experience ‘amazing health results with the raw food diet,’ say leading experts By Jacqueline Asafu-Adjaye
H
ealthRestore practioners Derin and Sophia are inviting Voice readers to take a deeper look inside their bodies, through their optimum health consultancy, which uses a number of bespoke health assessments that harness the latest technology, such as the evolutionary ElectroScanGram (ESG). More importantly, they are going right back to basics teaching the importance and value of eating foods in their natural state, the raw and living foods eating programme. They will be holding a monthly series of raw food workshops with the first beginning on Saturday 29th June, in London. It promises to be a fun filled day of learning demonstrations. Attendees will participate in creating tasty new recipes, as well as finding out how to implement new eating strategies, also known as ‘eating without heating’. Raw food is the leading channel for ultimate health, rejuvenation and anti-ageing. With over 20 years experience in the alternative health sector, Derin
founder of HealthRestore believes that preventative and proactive actions on individual health matters have never been so important, in an age where the stresses of modern living, is taking its toll. He says, we are taking for granted that the food we buy and the way we
In actual fact, “ many of us are
falling short and paying a high
”
prepare our meals are giving us the essential nutrients our body needs. In actual fact, many of us are falling short and paying a high price in damaged health and low energy. Henry, from North London said: “I was introduced to Derin and after a consultation, and the advice given on some of the dangers around cooked foods and how simple it is to prepare natural raw foods has been a life changing journey. I have been living a natural raw lifestyle for nearly 3
years now and have never looked back since.” Samantha said: “After the first week of being on the HealthRestore programme the keloids had reduced itching by 50 per cent and my stomach stopped bloating after every meal. This confirmed to me that I had definitely made a good investment in my health. Judy said: After six weeks I had lost 1 stone in weight, which was not something I had anticipated but this was nice and everyone was commenting on how well I looked. After doing the programme I had my fibroids measured and the largest one which was 9cm had now reduced in size to 6cm.”
Workshops cost just £49.00 and are limited to 15 people per session. Pre-booking is essential. To find out more and make a booking please call HealthRestore on: 0207 733 7077 or email info@healthrestore.net
“At Reid’s Pharmacy, we provide our best because we care” TELEPHONE:
0208 360 2653 0208 360 3663
munity. Having established the pharmacy against all odds in 1988, Terry has been delivering healthcare that was born from a passion and has provided a service that focuses on customer care. Reid’s Pharmacy has recently opened Travel Health Service in the form of a travel clinic giving a free risk assessment in preparation for clients to having a safe and enjoyable holiday. Patients will also be able to receive travel vaccinations, anti-malarial medication and a range of other travel essentials from this new service.
Terry Reid receiving the regional award for “Outstanding Achievement in the Community” Reid’s Pharmacy providing healthcare services and advice
M
r Terry Reid proprietor of Reid’s Pharmacy, 1 Cambridge Terrace, Bury Street West, London N9 9JJ has been awarded a ‘Outstanding Achievement in Community Pharmacy’ at this year’s Alphega Pharmacy National
Conference. Mr Reid has worked tirelessly within and beyond community, survived all the challenges of a modern day pharmacy and in return, he has achieved an outstanding pharmacy that meets the needs of the com-
Other services provided by Terry and his dedicated enthusiastic team are: t /)4 1SFTDSJQUJPOT t 4NPLJOH $FTTBUJPO 4FSWJDF t &NFSHFODZ )PSNPOBM Contraception t 7BTDVMBS )FBMUI $IFDL t %JBCFUFT 4DSFFOJOH t 'MV 7BDDJOBUJPO t 3FQFBU 1SFTDSJQUJPO 4FSWJDF t .FEJDJOF 6TF 3FWJFX t BOE /FX .FEJDBUJPO 4FSWJDF Patient Care at Reid’s Pharmacy-our pledge to you: 1. We are committed to delivering a professional, warm, friendly and caring cus-
tomer experience. 2. The customer experience is central to how we improve and review our services. 3. We are constantly reviewing our processes and the customer perspective impacts on how we choose to deliver outstanding care to the community. 4. Patient, customer, client care, first and most importantly begin at home – each member of Reid’s Pharmacy is actively encouraged and supported to be involved in their own Personal development. You are in expert hands We can only provide our best when we are at our best, so a variety of mentoring, coaching and training methods are used often involving external sources and covering subjects such as: emotional intelligence, creative problem solving. This gives us an excellent platform from which we can deliver what our customers describe as a “wonderful & caring service”. As a team there are no boundaries with respect to patient care and we endeavour to produce a service that exceeds our promise, by delivering a personalised professional, friendly, caring and often fun service. On an individual basis we behave as
though the pharmacy is our home and we treat our patients as our guests, with the main aim of making the patient feel better before they leave the pharmacy. Our clients learn to trust, respect and value us as a business a well as individuals and we remember that we are only as good as our last encounter with them. We give back to the communities we serve Reid’s Pharmacy is committed to youth development and has consistently provided placements and training for young people. Reid’s Pharmacy has assisted the training of more than 20 Pharmacy Student Graduates & we have given work placements to nearly 100 Students. We are proud to have been a part in the development of young people. If you have any burning questions concerning your health needs or would just simply like to give us a visit, do come by, where you will be greeted by myself and our friendly team.
Reid’s Pharmacy, 1 Cambridge Terrace, Bury Street West, Edmonton, London N9 9JJ Tel: 0208 360 2653 OR 0208 360 3663 Email: info@reidspharmacyonline.co.uk
HEALTHMATTERS
JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2013 THE VOICE | 27
Caring for a nation By Hazelann Williams
T
WO INCREDIBLY significant and important institutions, intrinsically linked to the black community and the growth of Britain are 65 years old this year. Readers of this paper may already know that in 1948 the ship the SS Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury in Kent, with 493 passengers from the Caribbean and around the world, carrying them to a new life in England. The British government, who had called on subjects in the empire, to help rebuild a war-torn England, orchestrated this significant moment in history. After making commitments in their political manifesto, a newly elected Labour government made plans to put into place a National Health System, where medical care would be free to the point of use, but they needed the help of the empire and its citizens to fulfill their promise. All of the passengers who came over on the Windrush had skills and the majority of the women were nurses, they were desperately needed to help implement the welfare state and their labour gave birth to the NHS and multicultural Britain, as we know them today. Much is known about the Windrush generation and the effect they had on Britain, but what is hardly recognised is the work, dedication and impact that black nurses had on the NHS. Highlighting the legacy of the women and men from the 40s, 50s and 60s is the organisation Windrush Nurses and Beyond. Initially created in 2012 as a way to remember the trailblazing nurses of the past and inspire future generations to follow in their footsteps, the foundation also honoured all black staff in the British medical profession with an award ceremony last year October. Bob Foster, co-founder of the organisation explained to The Voice exactly how the black community has changed the NHS and why it is important to honour those who worked hard to make the health service the envy of the world. “Initially we started the organisation because we were inspired by the journey of Dr Nola Ishmael, who was a speaker at a networking event,” said Foster. “She spoke about being the first black nursing director in London and it was very inspiring for us and we felt it was important to highlight the contributions our people have made to the NHS.” “We as a people have been in Britain since the 17th century, but a multicultural Britain started back in 1948, when the Empire Windrush landed in Tilbury.
In marking 65 years of the NHS we salute the African Caribbean nurses, past and present who have helped to make the British health care system the envy of the world
BREAKING BARRIERS IN MODERN NURSING: Shirley Baa-Mensah
AFRICAN CARIBBEAN NURSES : Without them the UK would not have been able to offer a free NHS to all
Caribbean and African people were asked to come over and bring their skills, to fill the void of the many young people who died during the Second World War. Therefore a lot of nurses came over, they built the National Health Service, but they were not being given their due recognition, no one really knows the great impact that they have made because it’s not written anywhere.” Although there has not been much publicity surrounding the
UK would not have been able to offer a free service at all, had it not been for the work of the Windrush nurses. “At the moment the NHS is free and the government were able to offer these services because of the labour force that came from the Caribbean. At that time nobody wanted to take the jobs and you only need to look around the world to see what type of medical services they have. The poorer countries in the world suffer
“At the moment the NHS is free
and the government were able to offer these services because of the labour force that came from the Caribbean
”
addition of black people to the public services, such as London Transport, telecommunication services and health care, the impact the new arrivals had on the NHS was noted in government by right wing Tory MP Normal Pannell, who in 1961 admitted that, “hospitals could not carry on without coloured immigrant nurses.” Foster admits that he agrees with the sentiments of the politician. In fact, he believes that the
from lack of medicines, beds and equipment and in other countries like the USA, it is survival of the fittest because you have to take out insurance to get the care that you need.” “It would have been a different type of health system in the UK if the nurses didn’t answer that call and decided to stay at home, they wouldn’t have been able to build the NHS and sustain it and now Britain’s health system is the envy of the world, it is free and
there when you need it.” The tradition of nursing is still a vocation within the black community that has been passed from generation to generation, and while career prospects today are immensely more varied for young black professionals, nurse of over 25 years Shirley BaahMensah, believes nursing is still a good profession to be in. “When I started nursing, I wanted a stable job doing something I liked and I’ve always liked helping people. At that time it was also what our mother’s knew and if you were a girl you were encouraged to go nursing. Nowadays there are some opportunities within the NHS and it’s still a good organisation and when you do it well it’s really rewarding, especially if you are a caring person.” However, Baah-Mensah is acutely aware of the challenges that black health care professionals face. 65 years ago the problem was with blatant racism and the struggle to adapt to British society, now, as the nurse explains, economic pressure and a lack of career progression are the main threats to being a black nurse. “The NHS has got its challenges, I think more so now than when I joined 20 years ago. With the restructuring and the reorganisation and the fact that there really is no money attached to the business, things are really hard.”
Constantly working to help others achieve their full potential within the NHS Baah-Mensah wrote a book called, No More Casualties, which she hopes will help shatter the glass ceiling which many care professionals from the black, Asian and minority ethnic community still face. “I did my training at a time when there were barriers for black people, now there are barriers for everybody. The promotions are so few and far between, because of the financial situation that nobody is taking their time to help anyone else.” Speaking frankly, the 49 year old who lives in Essex with her husband and two children does not want to put the younger generation off from working in the NHS, she says that it is vital we get more nurses, doctors, managers and health care professionals into the system, because it will benefit us all. “Our community uses the services and we need to be in there if we want services designed for us, and to address any issues about our care. We need to work within the NHS to ensure we get good value for money for our community, otherwise the unique illnesses that black people have will not be researched. Take sickle cell for example, not a lot of money goes into the study of the disease and we need to be in the system to help bring an awareness of our issues.”
OCTOBER 11 - 17, 2012 THE VOICE ! 33
HEALTHMATTERS Labour movement – THE
28 | THE VOICE JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2013
UNITE THE UNION CONTINUES THE FIGHT FOR RACE EQUALITY Comment by Collette CorkHurst, Unite National Officer – Equalities
B
lack Workers have contributed to our society for hundreds of years, but it was the arrival of SS Windrush in 1948 that saw this country employing black workers in large numbers. In the 1940s, 50s and 60s black workers were invited by the British Government after the war to help rebuild Britain, particularly working in industries such as London Transport, NHS and Rail. Often they worked in jobs that British people were not willing to undertake at that time. Our union continues to have thousands of black members working in the bus industry, NHS and local authorities. The contribution that these workers have made and continue to make to our public services is invaluable, despite often facing hostility, racism and harassment. Sadly, we are now seeing black workers in the public sector, along with many others having to face job losses, pay freezes, pension cuts and reductions in service provision. Unemployment levels for black workers remains at nearly double that of white workers and for young black males, over half of them are unemployed. Unite and other unions are fighting vigorously against these drastic cuts and government austerity measures and the impact they are having on all areas of our livelihoods and communities. Unite as a general union has members in all industries, public, private and voluntary sectors, including high numbers of black workers in finance, food, transport and general services – all areas affected by the recession and government attacks. As a union we have a long history of championing race equality and in 1991 our predecessor union, the Transport and General Workers Union elected the first and only black General Secretary in the history of the trade union movement, Bill Morris. We pay tribute to the tireless work that Bill Morris, who was National Officer for bus industry, undertook both to raise awareness of race issues and to make sure they remained high on the agenda, including fair treatment of migrant workers and refugees.
Bill’s work in the trade union movement led the way for other black trade unionists to move up the ranks and encouraged black members to become involved. In Unite, our current structures to ensure black members are represented at every level of the union is Bill’s lasting legacy that has been supported and built on by our union ever since. At the very top of our union, our Executive Council has full and strong representation of our black members and with committees/conferences at national and regional level, black members have a voice and influence on all our union’s policies and practices. It is important for workers and particularly for black workers to be in a trade union and play an active part in fighting for decent employment rights for everyone. At a time when workers’ rights are being eroded and employers are hacking away at our terms and conditions at work there is even greater need for collective strength through trade unions. A recent example of union action to address racial inequality was in a London local authority where the cuts to jobs were having a disproportionate effect on black women. This was due to the fact that the majority of black women were employed as frontline staff, which is mostly where the cuts were being made. Our union reps negotiated with the employer to tackle this unfair situation by taking action, including training, to stop this from happening and making sure that black women
“Unite has urged the Trust to tackle the culture of ‘institutional racism’ and has asked for an independent Inquiry into the trust’s disciplinary policies after information showed that whilst only 2 percent of the workforce is black, 25 percent of black workers have been dismissed.â€? are treated fairly by employers enforcing this governments devastating cuts. Challenging racial discrimination in the workplace is a daily battle and in the current climate we have to be vigilant in monitoring and identifying unfair practices. You may have seen the recent case of one of our members in the North West, Elliot Browne, who won almost ÂŁ1 million in damages for racial discrimination and unfair dismissal. Mr Browne, took the case, supported by Unite, against the
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Central Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, following ‘persistent discrimination and an intimidating environment’. He was bullied and harassed, when the division which he managed went into deficit, even though he put in place actions to tackle the situation and other white colleagues in the same situation were not treated in this way. Mr. Brown’s health suffered badly during and following his ordeal and he stated, “It is scandalous that this kind of behaviour and culture should exist in an organisation whose prime purpose is to care for others.�
Unite has urged the Trust to tackle the culture of ‘institutional racism’ and has asked for an independent Inquiry into the trust’s disciplinary policies after information showed that whilst only 2 percent of the workforce is black, 25 percent of black workers have been dismissed. Our Unite Race Forward campaign focuses on tackling race discrimination in the workplace and is an action plan for union reps which includes closing the ethnic minority employment gap; tackling the pay gap for black workers; fighting for equality of opportunity in promotion; challenging racial harassment, discrimination and bullying; demanding fair treatment of migrant workers and promoting fairness for black women workers.
who are not in employment, including volunteers, students, unpaid carers, retired and unemployed people. Community Membership works through a network of community activists, trained by Unite in community organising to promote membership and activity in their area. These activists are volunteers who will run community groups and organise local residents to campaign on the issues that matter most to them. Unite will offer support, training and resources to these groups to make campaigns a success. There are also many benefits to joining Unite Community Membership, including access to a Legal Helpline, Jobs Board, CV and application letter writing, interview tips, debt counselling and welfare benefit check up – all this and more for just 50p a week. Join Unite now and play your part in our Union. Equality is at the heart of Unite; Collette Cork-Hurst National Officer, Equalities; says, ‘It is more important than ever in these difficult times to use our collective voice to fight for equality of opportunity for all and to challenge discrimination in the workplace and our communities’.
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COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP It is not just those who are in work who can join, be active and have a voice in Unite. In a new and exciting initiative, Unite is the only union to have a Community section for those
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To Join UNITE the Union, or for more information, please visit www.unitetheunion.org and www.unitetheunion.org/equalities
National Contact: Collette Cork-Hurst â&#x20AC;&#x201C; National Officer, 9=)41<1-; F #-4 Jamaican immigrants welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office to help rebuild post-war Britain.
Email: raceequality@unitetheunion.org