Brighton & Hove City Council’s waste and recycling service is inviting businesses throughout the city to take part in a survey about trade waste collection.
THE council want to identify the needs and expectations of local businesses with a view to supporting them better and to potentially offer a commercial trade waste collection service after the local elections.
It would enable the council to include businesses in waste reduction and recycling initiatives, as well as provide a collection service.
Businesses, whatever their size or type, can take part as information about their individual trade waste needs will feed into the council’s business plan for commercial waste collections in the city.
The survey data will be used to shape proposals for a service tailored to the city’s businesses after the local elections.
Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is calling on the next Government to introduce four key measures that can help improve the lives of people living with HIV and can help turn the tide against the HIV epidemic.
THE national sexual health charity asked its members – who include those affected by HIV – their views on what matters to them which has informed the four key changes that it, and others in the sector, would like the next Government to make following the election in May.
These include:
1. Introduce, in the first session of a new UK Parliament, compulsory Sex and Relationships Education for all schools, which is inclusive of young people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and which has appropriate sexual health and HIV content.
2. Make HIV prevention a national public health priority, with effective funding, more varied testing options and access to the full range of prevention information and choices for all who need them.
3. End HIV stigma in health and social care settings through the training of all NHS and care staff.
4. Commit to the Disability Benefits Consortium’s Five Things You And Your Party Can Do For Disabled People, to help ensure that people affected by HIV-related sickness or disability have the support they need.
Dr Rosemary Gillespie
Dr Rosemary Gillespie, Chief Executive at Terrence Higgins Trust, said:“With more than 100,000 people living with HIV in the UK, we are determined to make sure their voices are heard loud and clear as election day approaches on May 7. By acting on these key issues the next Government could dramatically reduce both HIV transmission, and the stigma and discrimination that so many of those with HIV face. No one can afford to be complacent. We urge voters to challenge candidates on these areas before the election, and hold them to account after they have been elected.”
THT have sent out a briefing HIV in the UK – What you need to know to all parliamentary candidates. As well as the call to action, it provides future MPs with all the facts and figures they need to know about HIV in the UK.
Simon Kirby
Simon Kirby, Conservative candidate for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven, said:“As a long-term supporter of people with HIV/AIDS and a Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV/AIDS, I commend the work of the Terence Higgins Trust and their four key changes on national HIV policy.
“If re-elected, I shall continue to ensure that HIV/AIDS remains on the political agenda and would hope to see progress on these issues.”
This is part of a cross-sector campaign, with National AIDS Trust and HIV Scotland joining the call for the new Government to take action on Sex and Relationships Education, HIV prevention for England and a stigma-free NHS.
To view the briefing to the politicians, click here:
A quick and easy, non-invasive breath test could help hundreds of thousands of patients who have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
IBS affects more than four million people in the UK, but it is estimated that one in five of those diagnosed with IBS may have the more simple to treat condition known as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). The condition produces symptoms similar to IBS and is caused by having too much bacteria in the gut.
A range of breath monitors called Gastrolyzer, developed by Bedfont Scientific, can be used to aid the detection of SIBO by measuring the amount of methane and hydrogen in a patient’s breath caused by excessive bacteria in the gut. Once a diagnosis has been made the condition can be treated quickly and effectively with a course of antibiotics.
Dr Anthony Hobson, Functional Gut Clinic, London, said, “I see many patients with suspected IBS daily and one of the problems I face is determining the diagnosis. (The Gastrolyzer) allows us to objectively quantify how the gut microbiota are contributing to IBS-like symptoms and helps us to target future treatments.”
April is IBS Awareness month, a worldwide initiative to help raise awareness of the condition.
Jason Smith, General Manager at Bedfont Scientific, added, “IBS awareness month is the perfect time to raise the profile of the misdiagnosis that many IBS sufferers may have encountered. If they can be tested with the Gastrolyzer for other intolerances and conditions first, that are easily treatable, it could have a positive outcome on many people’s lives.”
Voting day arrangements have been organised to make voting easier for disabled voters.
Nancy Platts: Labour candidate for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven
THE changes, confirmed by Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven Nancy Platts will ensure disabled voters have better access to polling stations and more chances to have their voices heard.
Nancy wrote to the Chief Executives of Brighton and Hove City Council and Lewes District Council to request they clarify how disabled residents will be able to vote in the elections on May 7.
The 2015 general election will be the first nationwide election where every individual needs to register their right to vote. This has led to concerns that some residents will fall off the electoral roll.
Brighton and Hove City Council chief executive Penny Thompson CBE and her counterpart at Lewes District Council, Jenny Rowlands, have confirmed by email:
• Local charities, care homes and sheltered housing organisations have been encouraged to talk to people they work with to explain the new individual electoral registration process.
• Full reviews have already taken place of all polling stations to check access for voters with mobility issues.
• Instructions have been sent to presiding officers to offer assistance to voters to enter the polling station – or even bring the voter’s ballot paper out to the person to ensure that they can fill it in – if there is no disabled access.
• Low-level polling booths, suitable for use by voters using wheelchairs, larger print ballot paper instructions and tactile voting devices can be provided.
Nancy Platts welcomed the changes saying:“The officials at our local councils should be congratulated for helping to ensure all voters’ voices can be heard. The message to disabled and visually impaired voters is clear – you can have your say in confidence.
“Disabled people can face many barriers and it’s important that the next government champions their rights. I will fight for the repeal of the hated bedroom tax, more accessible transport and a drive to encourage more businesses to offer jobs to disabled workers.
“Every vote will count in Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven and I urge all residents to ensure they are registered to vote and take part in the election.”
THE council want to identify the needs and expectations of local businesses with a view to supporting them better and to potentially offer a commercial trade waste collection service after the local elections.
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