£162M NHS TRANSFER WELCOMED BY DR ROS ALTMANN – BUT ADMISSIONS STILL TOO HIGH

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAGA

SAGA SOUNDBITE

January 4, 2011.

£162M NHS TRANSFER WELCOMED BY DR ROS ALTMANN – BUT ADMISSIONS STILL TOO HIGH.

Commenting on the £162 million in-year transfer of NHS money to local authorities announced today by the Secretary of State for Health, Dr Ros Altmann, economist and Director General of Saga, said:

“The fact that over 2,500 people are stuck in hospital for the want of a proper local authority care plan is shocking - and it is good news that the Government has at last recognised that more needs to be done to make the care system fit for purpose.  However, a related issue that is too often overlooked, is the scandal of thousands of unnecessary admissions to hospital every year due to lack of appropriate domiciliary care."

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

CANADIAN PASSPORT AMONGST FALSE IDs CONFISCATED BY CHORLEY PUB MANAGER.

THE GEORGE, CHORLEY

PRESS RELEASE

October 18, 2010.

CANADIAN PASSPORT AMONGST FALSE IDs CONFISCATED BY CHORLEY PUB MANAGER.

Video.

Photos.

A Chorley pub manager has confiscated fake and false identification documents as varied as a Canadian passport, out-of-date bank cards and driving licences “borrowed” from friends and family.

It’s all part of a robust door policy at The George in St Thomas’s Road, Chorley, where manager Paul Higgins operates one of the toughest zero-tolerance policies to under-aged drinking in the region, but which makes it one of the best bars around.

“Like most towns, Chorley does have an under-aged drinking problem, but we have a very strong door policy. If we think the ID is fake or false, then we confiscate it, and invite the real owner of the ID to come and collect it,” said Paul.

But at any one time Paul has up to 50 passports, driving licences, bank cards and other documents that attempted – and failed – under-aged drinkers have tried to palm off on him or his staff.

“We suspect that there’s a lot of friends and family of the failed attempted under-aged drinkers scratching their heads as to where their passports, bank cards and driving licences have disappeared to,” said bar owner Tony Callaghan of Wigan-based InnTheBar.

“The result is one of the best bars in the area – the music is fantastic, the atmosphere is second-to-none, and there’s no trouble from under-aged drinkers.

“The issue is what to do with the falsely-presented identification documents, some of which – particularly passports and driving licences – clearly have immense value and importance,” said Tony.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

http://innthebar.blogspot.com/