Our key workers must feel safe
RECENTLY, I met with those who work at the Church Lane, Marple Co-op store to discuss a campaign to end abuse and intimidation of shopworkers.
Retail workers, worked extraordinarily hard over the last year, ensuring shelves are stocked so food and supplies could be available for us during the pandemic.
I was grateful to staff from the Church Lane Co-op, who kindly shared with me their experiences; particularly those during the pandemic, of abuse that they’ve received and the impact it has had on them.
These are people who have been critical key workers during the pandemic.
We must ensure that they feel safe in their place of work.
Unfortunately, this problem has only grown in recent years, with an estimated 140 per cent year on year increase in reported instances of abuse and intimidation towards shop workers right across the United Kingdom.
Due to the tireless work of campaigners and an online petition receiving thousands of signatures, this issue has now been taken directly to Parliament.
Last week, I joined MPs from all parties discussed the need for raising awareness of current laws to tackle this abuse.
We urged the Government to consider additional measures should police forces across the UK require them.
I will continue to work with colleagues in Parliament, and the local Police here in Stockport, to ensure that shopworkers feel safe in their workplace, that they have the confidence to report abuse.
The small minority who commit such crimes must feel the full weight of the law.
THE Stockport NHS team helping people in the borough to stop smoking have received an artistic helping hand from local schoolchildren.
The CURE project team, based at Stepping Hill Hospital, organised an art competition for pupils at primary and secondary schools in Stockport, with the winning entries being displayed at the hospital to help them capture the stop smoking message.
The winning entries were 12-year-old Lola Pagnam from Bramhall High School, and 11-year-old Jessica Pickles from Torkington Primary School, who both used cheery colourful images to support the CURE team in their mission to stop smoking in Stockport.
CURE is a region-wide secondary care treatment for tobacco addiction, which was launched at Stepping Hill Hospital and other hospitals across Greater Manchester in September last year.
It aims to identify all active smokers admitted to hospital so that they can immediately be offered nicotine replacement therapy and other medications, as well as specialist support.
The CURE team of four nursing and medical staff are based at the hospital’s chest clinic, and are there to provide both for the duration of a patient’s admission, and after discharge too.
Since the CURE team have been in place many more patients have got the help they need to stop smoking.
80 per cent of patients approached have accepted help to stop smoking from the team, and on average one in four of those have managed to stay off cigarettes after discharge.
Tobacco is the single greatest cause of preventable death, disability, illness and social inequality in our area and indeed in the world.
The term ‘CURE’ has been specifically chosen to ‘medicalise’ tobacco addiction and move away from the stigma of a lifestyle choice towards disease treatment.
The aim of the project is to reduce smoking in the area by a third to 13pc by the end of 2021, and to 5pc by 2027. This will save hundreds of lives, as well as improving quality of life, with ex-smokers spending a lot less time in hospital.
The CURE team held their picture competition as a way to spread the word and also highlight the presence of the CURE team on site.
Copies of Lola and Jessica’s pictures will be placed in areas on the hospital site.
Respiratory Nurse Practitioner and CURE team leader Pauline Holmes said “We’d like to say a big thank you to all the children and schools who took part in the competition, we had so many lovely entries.
“Lola and Jessica are worthy winners, their pictures are beautiful and a great way of spreading the CURE message.
“Stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do for your health, but smoking is part of an addiction, not a lifestyle choice, and people need support to get through this addiction.
“That’s where the CURE team are here to help.”
For more information on CURE visit https://thecureproject.co.uk/