Other UK News In Brief

Flood Management Proposals Announced

In the wake of the Cornwall floods new proposals, to give local communities a greater say in what is done to protect them from the risks of flooding and coastal erosion, have been announced today. Defra and the Environment Agency have published a consultation on a new national flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy for England which aims to allow greater local involvement in planning and prioritising flood defences. Outlining the new approach at the Environment Agency Annual Conference and Association of British Insurers Flooding Conference, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said: “Last week in Cornwall I saw for myself the devastating impact of flooding on families and businesses alike. With more extreme weather patterns predicted in the future, this new strategy will give communities and businesses more power to influence how they are protected, because local involvement means plans and funding can be specifically prioritised and tailored.” At the same time proposals to change the system for allocating money for flood defences are also being published, so that more schemes can get the go ahead. The proposed new funding criteria would mean that more flood defence schemes benefit from some level of Government funding. Those who will directly benefit from the schemes, such as local businesses and community groups, will have the opportunity for further voluntary investment.

Violent Patients Need To Be Identified

Responding to Minister McGimpsey’s statement on the increase of attacks on health and social care staff, British Medical Association (BMA NI) Chairman Dr Paul Darragh has commented: 

“We echo Minister McGimpsey’s alarm and disgust at the increase of attacks on staff by patients.

 BMA NI has repeatedly highlighted the unacceptable rise in physical and verbal abuse that doctors and other health care colleagues face in the course of treating patients.

 There is a personal and financial cost to such attacks. 

If doctors are injured, then they will be unable to treat the patient and will need to take time off to recover – this impacts directly on patient care and also costs the health service money, money that would be better spent on delivering care.” 

Dr Darragh continued: 

“BMA NI is calling for patients with a history of violence to be identified by placing a warning marker on their health record. This information should be shared between all healthcare organisations including primary, secondary and community care organisations, enabling healthcare staff to take appropriate precautions to ensure their own safety”.


Excise Tracking Goes Online

Traders of duty suspended excise goods are reminded this week that they need to switch from paper to the new online Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) on 1 January 2011. The new system is designed to reduce excise fraud. The current paper system for recording the movement of excise goods will end on 31 December 2010 for most movements of duty suspended excise goods from UK excise warehouses and production premises, after which traders must use EMCS. Kerrie Spendiff, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Deputy Director Excise and Customs, Policy and Processes, said: “The new system will improve the efficiency of document processing and control of the movement of excise duty suspension goods throughout the European Union and in the UK. EMCS will reduce the scope for excise fraud as it will allow Member States, traders and HMRC to monitor movements online in real time. The important thing is that excise traders enrol early to avoid delays and so that everything is in place as soon as possible. I urge businesses that have not yet registered and enrolled for EMCS to do so now.” To use the new system, traders must register online at HMRC. Using EMCS will be compulsory for all movements of duty suspended excise goods in the European Union and in the UK - except for intra-UK movements of energy products and certain intra-UK movements of alcohol and tobacco.

(BMcN/Gk)