This General Election is our chance to make sure that action is finally taken on period poverty. Across the UK, women, girls, and people who have periods are struggling to access basic essentials and the cost of living crisis has driven levels of need to unprecedented levels.  One third of girls already miss school because they can’t access essentials like pads, but the Government has not yet confirmed if they will continue this much needed scheme beyond July 2024. For many other groups of women and people who menstruate who struggle to afford period products, there’s no support in place.  This has a devastating impact on those affected by the cost of living crisis, and reliant on food banks and other community support mechanisms.    This leaves charities, like us here at Bloody Good Period and many of partners, filling the gap  and providing a rising number of essential period products to those who need them.   Scotland has made history by becoming the first country in the world to protect the right to access free period products in law. A law for period products to be available in schools, colleges and public buildings in Northern Ireland is also now in force. It’s long overdue that we get the same legislation and access in England and Wales. We need party leaders who care about ending period poverty. We need the next UK government to listen to those who menstruate, the charities who are fighting for better access to period products and people like you and me who need a solution NOW.  But to get commitments to make period products freely available in public spaces in their manifestos we need public pressure. So, please join me and sign the petition.

Two years of training is insufficient for Physician Associates (PAs) to diagnose or treat patients effectively. The promotion of PAs in medical settings has several drawbacks, both for the PAs who are being parachuted into jobs they aren't prepared for and set up to fail, and for doctors who must supervise them and are held accountable for their mistakes. PAs lack the medical expertise that comes with specialised training, unlike nurses or paramedics, and their role does not complement but, rather, attempts to mimic that of doctors. Their courses are unaccredited, and they miss crucial training in ethics, communication, and basic medical knowledge. Consequently, PAs often fail to diagnose or treat conditions correctly, burdening already overstretched doctors with the responsibility for these errors. PAs also dilute the educational opportunities available to student doctors and, unlike other health professionals, PAs lack a regulatory body to ensure safety and accountability. Employing PAs over doctors in GP practices, where they often work unsupervised, is financially incentivised. However, it can lead to increased net costs due to the need for supervision. In GP practices and across NHS Trusts, patients are frequently seen by PAs without realising they are not doctors, undermining the extensive training that doctors undergo. This practice devalues doctors, creates friction within the NHS, and contributes to the unemployment of qualified GPs. The introduction of underqualified PAs, who often receive better pay and conditions than more medically competent doctors or nurses, is seen by many as a move to undermine the NHS and erode public trust and the morale of healthcare professionals.

The Barnes community was really happy when our local post office reopened along with a Morrisons shop. It was a welcome addition to our town. However, we are all shocked at the blatant marketing of vapes to young people. The colourful stand of vapes is directly facing the glass door of the shop (seen from the street) offering an array of sweet flavoured Vapes such as strawberry and mint. These colourful, flavoured vapes are attractive and enticing to children. Children's doctors say vaping may cause long-term damage to young people's lungs, hearts and brains. The vapour inhaled contains a small amount of chemicals, including the addictive substance nicotine. It is well know and well researched that nicotine: - is highly addictive - can cause anxiety and depression - can cause bronchitis - leads to lung damage (which can be life threatening) Vaping also exposes the user to cancer-causing chemicals.

NHS dentistry is broken and we need a plan to fix it. 12 million people are unable to get NHS dental treatment, nearly half our kids are no longer getting checkups, and DIY dentistry is becoming commonplace. We're struggling to get these services, but incredibly the Government have announced a hike in NHS dental charges from 1 April 2024. This hike is a slap in the face for hard-pressed families. It won’t put a penny in to bring NHS dentistry back from the brink - and the Government is asking the public to pay more for less of a service. Instead of hiking NHS fees, it’s time the government to come up with a proper plan to fund NHS dentistry for all.

It is important that people sign this petition, as people have already lost their lives, paramedics are put under severe pressure, you might need an ambulance at anytime and if you have to wait hours for one you could die, if you cannot access a defibrillator because they cannot find the number you could die, it’s happened, if you think there is a rapid response vehicle they have been disbanded, Staffordshire had the most volunteers for RRVS until they were wiped out. It’s your life, yours family and friends lives this is really important we deserve better, Mr Marsh CEO is responsible for 5.6 million people 5000 sq miles, if lots of people died in Staffordshire Moorlands it would not affect his targets, he has admitted they will never meet the rural needs, they should they did until he changed the system, it was the best not anymore it’s broken

I’m Tom Thayer, a hospital consultant. I treat patients left with horrifying mouth injuries after trying to pull out their own teeth out. Everyone who needs an NHS dentist should be able to get an appointment. But overstretched and underfunded, there are now fewer and fewer NHS dentists available. A recent survey found nine out of ten practices are no longer taking on new NHS patients. The Government’s own figures show that 13 million people are unable to get NHS dental treatment, while nearly half our kids are no longer getting regular NHS check-ups. In February of this year the previous Government announced a plan meant to encourage dentists to see new patients. But the money they offered to fund it is less than half what's already being scraped out of dentists' budgets, and dentists like me could see straight away that it was not good enough - it won't stop dentists leaving the workforce or help the millions who can't get care. Dentistry isn’t a nice to have, or an optional extra. The oral health gap between rich and poor is widening. Tooth decay remains the no 1 reason a child will end up in hospital. Day in, day out my colleagues are seeing scenes that belong in the Victorian era. Simply because they can’t get an NHS appointment. None of this is inevitable. This is a wealthy 21st-century nation. This is all the result of choices made in Westminster. Our new Prime Minister Keir Starmer ran for office promising to tackle this crisis, and reform the dental contract to rebuild NHS dentistry for the long term. Join me, The British Dental Association and The Mirror in telling him he needs to act urgently and deliver on this promise without delay. Millions of people who need an NHS dentist can’t afford to wait any longer.

Every day, every night, Winchester's A&E department is extremely busy. Saving lives. Patching up injured children, agricultural workers, OAPs from care homes, students, casualties from road traffic accidents, revellers who've overdosed on alcohol or drugs, and all kinds of people. Virtually everyone in the city and the surrounding towns will have a family member or friend who has passed through this department. There is currently a consultation - open until 17 March. We need people to respond to this consultation and express their views on the proposed NHS changes. Save our Winchester A&E! IMPORTANT - Please make your views known on the Hampshire Together Consultation: https://www.hampshiretogether.nhs.uk/

Our collective appeal is centred around the urgent need for a clear road map on targeted investment in biomedical and health research. We propose a comprehensive 5-step strategy that includes: 1. Dedicated Research Funding: Allocate resources specifically earmarked for biomedical and health research into both adult and paediatric Long Covid. By doing so, we can accelerate the pace of discovery by uncovering the intricate pathophysiology of the condition. 2. Collaborative Research Initiatives: Foster interdisciplinary collaboration between research institutions, healthcare providers, charitable organisations and those with lived experience to create a unified approach with shared expertise, resources, and data, leading to more robust and impactful studies. 3. Treatment Trials: Fund and expedite clinical trials for potential treatments. By streamlining regulatory processes and providing support for innovative therapies, we can fast-track the development of interventions that improve health outcomes. 4. Public Awareness and Education: Invest in public awareness campaigns to educate individuals about the potential long-term consequences of COVID-19 and the barriers and stigma they may experience with it. Early awareness can prompt proactive healthcare-seeking behaviour and contribute to more effective management of the condition which in turn will reduce the impact on healthcare services. 5. Service Provision: Continue funding specialised services to support adults, children, and young people (along with their families) who are suffering from Long Covid. Long Covid, identified as a chronic condition, has demonstrated varied outcomes in paediatric services, with 56% improving one functional severity category while 40% remain broadly the same level of impairment and 0.4% show deterioration. At 6 months, the largest UK service has demonstrated that the number of children and young people with over 50% school attendance has more than doubled. Moreover, individuals with Long Covid exhibit the highest healthcare utilisation over a 2-year period, spanning general practice, emergency department, and outpatient care. They also demonstrate the second-highest rates of hospital and critical care admission when compared to both pre-pandemic and pandemic control groups. Long Covid care, estimated at over £3000 per person per year, is nearly four times more than care for the same individuals before the pandemic and nearly three times as much as care in age- and comorbidity-matched individuals before and during the pandemic. Given these substantial healthcare needs and associated costs, patients require ongoing management, monitoring, and support through specialised clinical networks. These networks should be designed to seamlessly integrate research findings into clinical care, ensuring a comprehensive and effective approach to addressing the challenges posed by Long Covid.

It's important to keep the Fitness Industry alive with high quality classes and Qualified and insured professionals who work with passion and enthusiasm. But without decent pay and better working conditions and guaranteed hours many are leaving this Industry because honestly they can't make the ends meet.

Pembury Circus is one of the most polluted parts of London with nitrogen dioxide levels exceeding 100ug/m3 – 10x the WHO recommended limit of 10ug/m3 and in breach of the UK legal limit of 40ug/m3. It is also one of the most dangerous and inaccessible junctions in the borough. It has one of the highest records of traffic incidents in the borough with more than 123 collisions and 142 casualties in the last six years. On a daily basis school children from the LEYF Pembury Community Nursery, Rooftop Nursery @Brook, Mossbourne Parkside Academy (primary), Mossbourne Community Academy (secondary), Stormont House Special School and Nightingale Primary School have to navigate this hostile and polluted junction. It is used by thousands of residents, visitors and commuters passing through Hackney Downs station on a daily basis; and by more than 750 cyclists daily without any road markings or protected cycle lanes. Hackney Council are well aware of the dangers, having noted the lack of any adequate, safe and accessible pedestrian crossings in the Hackney Central Footways map produced as part of the Hackney Central Impact and Ideas Fund. We're calling for action now.

Due to Government incompetence during the Covid-19 Pandemic, many UK citizens now suffer from Long-Covid. Meaning loss of earnings, and loss to quality of life. Many are now unable to work, many like myself have had to give up a well paid job, for lower pay, as we are now unable to continue with heavy work. Many are still in receipt of Statutory Sick Pay of the meagre amount of £99.95 per week, which is grossly insufficient to live on, meaning having to claim for other benefits such as Universal Credit, to top up. The stress of going from well paid jobs to very low benefits, and even lower paid employment, only undermine our health further. At this time, there is no cure for Long-Covid, we are still unaware of what causes this condition. Meaning anyone who had had, or in future suffers from Covid, may well end up also suffering from Long-Covid. It is an awful disabling condition, which leaves you breathless, fatigued, and at times unable to move. You go from being full of beans one second, and in the next, you have no beans at all, every muscle in your body aches, it's like living with 24 hour flu, every day, meaning menial tasks are impossible. Government incompetence during the early stages of the pandemic, left everyone open to contacting Covid, and becoming a Long-Covid sufferer, and with Covid still rife, meaning anyone could still become a sufferer of this awful condition. Many have had to give up work and survive on benefits, or like myself, give up a well paid job, for a lower pay, as we could no longer do the work we used to.

The cessation of this service during the pandemic has put our community in a vulnerable position, and we believe that residents requiring immediate urgent care should not have to seek it outside their hometown. When children or babies get ill they can deteriorate very quickly which highlights the need for accessible local healthcare. We appreciate the tireless efforts and work of the NHS, alongside the expansion of services during the day. However, we firmly believe that the return of emergency overnight provision at Newark Hospital is vital for the health and well-being of all Newark residents.