Damien Moore MP calls for Children's A&E to return to Southport, alongside an overhaul of Children's Social Care in Sefton

DURING a debate last week on:- "Making Britain the Best Place to Grow Up and Grow Old," local MP Damien Moore raised the 2 most pressing health and social care issues affecting young people and their families in Southport today.

Southport Hospital has not had a standalone Children's A&E since 2003, and earlier this month it was revealed that Labour-run Sefton Council's children's services had been rated:- "Inadequate" in every category by Ofsted, the lowest grade attainable.

In his speech, Southport's local MP Damien Moore told Parliament:- "As the Minister for Children and Families knows, we discovered in the days conveniently after the local elections that Sefton Council's children's services had been rated 'Inadequate' in all areas, yet the responsible Councillors shamefully remain in office and Southport's vulnerable children continue to suffer. These children deserve excellent services from their local Council."

Following the report being published, Mr Moore called for the resignations of the Labour Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care, Cllr. Mhari Doyle, and the Labour Leader of Sefton Council, Cllr. Ian Maher.

This was prompted by a section of Ofsted's report, which made specific mention of the fact that:- "over a long period the [Council's] political leadership has not secured...effective oversight of children's services," and that:- "since the [last] inspection in 2016, there has been a significant deterioration in services." Cllr. Maher became Leader of Sefton Council in 2015, and was recently re-elected to their position, days before this report came to light.

Government Commissioners have now been appointed to determine whether the Labour led Council are capable of running the Department themselves, or whether it should be taken out of Sefton's hands.

Before the Pandemic, children in Southport requiring urgent A&E care had to travel to Ormskirk Hospital, where a 24 hour service was provided. Since the onset of the Pandemic this service has reduced, meaning that there is now no provision between midnight and 8am. During these hours, families must make a car or ambulance journey of up to an hour to Alder Hey in Liverpool.

In his speech, Damien Moore MP said:- "Southport Hospital has been lacking a Children's A&E since 2003, when services were rolled into Ormskirk Hospital. During the Pandemic, Ormskirk's A&E stopped providing a 24-hour service, with the result that a child who falls sick out of hours must now travel to Liverpool. First, we must see the resumption of the 24/7 service in Ormskirk. Then, and most importantly, we must see the return of the Children's A&E service to Southport."

This follows Mr Moore recently meeting with Health Minister Ed Argar MP, alongside some of his top officials at the Department for Health and Social Care, to discuss the resumption of 24/7 service at Ormskirk, and the return of the Children's A&E service to Southport.

Discussions remain ongoing as Mr Moore continues to fight for his younger constituents and their right to access the health and social care they deserve.

Speaking following the debate, Damien Moore, MP for Southport, said:- "The lack of a full Children's A&E service in Southport is unacceptable, and the Council's mismanagement of services for our most vulnerable young people is nothing short of a scandal. Southport lost our Children's A&E under a Labour Government and Liberal Democrat MP. As Southport's Conservative MP, I am determined to ensure that this service is brought back and that avoidable delays in children receiving urgent healthcare are eradicated. I have already discussed these 2 pressing issues with the relevant Ministers, and look forward to working over the coming months to secure progress in these areas."

Damien Moore MP asks Southport residents to embrace War Graves Week

DAMIEN Moore, MP for Southport, is calling on residents of Southport to come together and discover the World War heritage on their doorstep by embracing War Graves Week, which runs 21 May to 28 May, and is an initiative from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

War Graves Week encourages Southport's local residents to learn about the stories of those commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Southport and the skills, dedication, and expertise of those CWGC staff who work to keep their memory alive.

Southport residents keen to learn more about the remarkable stories of the men and women of the Commonwealth forces that died in the 1st and 2nd World Wars who are buried in their community can visit:- CWGC.Org and visit the cemeteries closest to them in person.

War Graves Week provides a unique chance for the people of Southport to reconnect with their local history, and in particular the CWGC sites at:- St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, St. Duke's Cemetery, and Holy Trinity Churchyard.

At CWGC residents of Southport can learn about the Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times project, which is the focus of this year's War Graves Week. Alongside the front-line armed forces, the CWGC will be celebrating the value those who served during the World Wars brought to key sectors such as healthcare, logistics, infrastructure and communications, and the parallels with today's global Britain which they helped to create.

Separately, in April 2022, Mr Moore launched an initiative in Parliament, supported by the Imperial War Museums, to support local war memorials. Joined by 50 MPs and the Minister for Heritage, Nigel Huddleston MP, Mr Moore called on the public to help document and verify the archives and records of as many of our nation's important war memorials as possible ahead of this year's Remembrance Day.

Damien Moore, MP for Southport, said:- "I encourage all my constituents to embrace War Graves Week. It's a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with our local history and learn about the courageous ordinary people from our community who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Behind every name on a war grave or memorial in Southport is a human story waiting to be discovered, something that I have been aiming to promote with my initiative to support local war memorials, supported by the Imperial War Museums, and something that I am proud to support in the CWGC's War Graves Week."
 

Friends of Kings Gardens Queen's Platinum Jubilee Family Fun Day

ON Friday, 3 June 2022 the Friends of Kings Gardens in Southport are holding a Family Fun Day, within the community garden, on the Promenade, next the Southport Marine Lake. The event runs from 12 Midday to 4pm. it will have a Fancy Dress Competition (come dressed in 1950's outfits, or a Royal Outfit) Stalls, Games and crafts, magician, donkey's, Heartbeat Radio,  and other entertainment. For more information please email:- FOKGSouthport@Gmail.Com.