AINTREE HOSPITAL EVENT LOOKS BACK AT YEAR OF SUCCESS...

A new £34m Elective Care Centre, the transfer of services from Walton Hospital and the opening of a new Diabetes Centre are just three of the highlights forming part of an event taking place at Aintree University Hospital.

The Annual Members’ Meeting, which takes place on Wednesday 21st September from 5.30pm at the Trust’s Clinical Sciences Centre, is a free event with the chance to find out more about the hospital’s work during the past year.

Key achievements for the Trust during 2010/11 also include:-

► A new 1250 space multi storey car park opening for use by patients, visitors and staff

► Ward upgrades across the hospital site including the outpatients department

► Becoming the first hospital in the UK to adopt its local train station

► Several Royal College seats for clinical staff

The event will also give members of the public the opportunity to put questions directly to the senior managers at the hospital including the Chairman and Chief Executive.

Local, elected representatives from the Trust Boards of Governors will also be available for questions.

The event takes place from 5.30pm with refreshments available. It is open to anyone wishing to attend, including all Foundation Trust members, of which there are over 7500 across the North West.

 3 MORE ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF DISORDER

3 people where arrested on Tuesday, 6 September 2011, following the proactive policing operation in response to the disorder in South Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral last month. A 27 year old man from Bootle, 2 17 year old youths from Wavertree and Toxteth have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder. All 3 have been taken to police stations in Merseyside to be questioned by detectives.

JOBSEEKERS IN NORTH WEST “GOING THE EXTRA MILE” ON THE TRAIN TO FIND WORK

THERE has been a surge in the number of jobseekers in parts of the North West travelling further afield to find work, according to new figures published by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC).

The figures show that train journeys made by jobseekers have more than doubled in some parts of the country since the start of the recession, with a number of North West areas seeing significant rises.

Train companies offer a discount card which is issued by Jobcentre Plus to eligible jobseekers, to help them travel more cheaply to job interviews and for vocational training. The card offers a 50% discount on a wide variety of fares, including London Travelcards. The research shows that across the country, the number of journeys made with the card has risen by 37% in the last two years. ATOC says this shows people are increasingly turning to the railways to look farther afield for work.

The data shows which towns have seen the biggest increases in numbers of rail journeys made by jobseekers using the railcard from 2009 to 2010, as the country began to come out of the recession. The biggest rises include:-

► Southport, Merseyside – a rise of 184%, from 927 journeys in 2009 to 2,629 in 2010

► Birkenhead, Merseyside – a rise of 181%, from 186 journeys in 2009 to 523 journeys in 2010

► Macclesfield, Cheshire – a rise of 167%, from 160 journeys in 2009 to 428 journeys in 2010

► Kirkby, Merseyside – a rise of 118%, from 658 journeys in 2009 to 1,436 journeys in 2010

► Wallasey Village, Merseyside – a rise of 118%, from 214 journeys in 2009 to 466 journeys in 2010

► Chester, Cheshire – a rise of 77%, from 1,548 journeys in 2009 to 2,732 journeys in 2010

Research carried out in 2010 on behalf of ATOC found that the savings the discount card offers has led to more people travelling by train. 80% of respondents who had not travelled by rail for the previous 6 months now regularly took the train, with 36% saying that they would not have travelled to a job interview at all had they not had the card, and a further 16% said they would not have travelled to their vocational training.

David Mapp, ATOC’s Commercial Director, said:- "These figures offer an insight into the way the job market is changing. People are no longer looking for jobs in the local area, but are travelling farther afield and going the extra mile to find work.  Train companies recognise that times are tough for many people, but particularly for those not in regular work. The discount we offer to active jobseekers means they can get cheap tickets to travel to job interviews, visit the jobcentre, and attend vocational training.  Fast, reliable and affordable rail services are vital to get people around for work and for leisure. The use of these discount cards shows the key role the railways have in helping the economic recovery, and also the social benefits it offers."