A new start for surgery Guests including actor David Suchet (left) –who played Agatha Christie’s detective Hercule Poirot for many years – attended the re-opening of a GP’s surgery rescued from the brink of closure. see below Registration change The new voter registration system requires individuals to register not the “head of the household”. News News in brief Support wanted EAST London NHS Foundation Trust is looking to recruit peer support workers who have direct experience of mental illhealth and recovery. Support workers are trained to work with service users to talk through problems and encourage them to explore their options for change. They can accompany someone to appointments or support them as they try new activities. For more details, contact Susan Henry on 8510 8630 or email susan.henry@east london.nhs.uk Coping with cancer THE cancer psychological services team at Barts Health NHS Trust is running workshops for people with cancer, their families and friends to provide advice A DAD who found a child’s bicycle in Millwall Park last month is hoping East End Life can help find its rightful owner. Ignacio Benitez had taken his three-year-old daughter Lucia to the children’s playground when he spotted the bike. They were at the playground for some time and when no one rode off on it, he decided to take it home for safe-keeping. “I left a note there hoping that someone would call, but nobody did... We really would like to give it back to the little child who lost it,” said the economist who lives in Island Gardens. He believes it may have been stolen and then dumped in the playground. If you have lost the bike, call East End Life on 7364 4365. and help manage the impact that cancer can have. Topics include handling stress, managing fatigue, relationships and sexuality, and how to cope when treatment finishes. Medical staff who look after people with cancer are also in - vited to attend. The workshops run every Tuesday from 10.45am-12.15pm in the West Wing Conference Room, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, EC1. Call 3465 6611. Jim Fitzpatrick MP cuts the ribbon with Dr Sarit Patell at the revamped surgery A DOCTOR’S surgery in Wapping, which was saved from possible closure by the efforts of campaigners, has been officially re-opened at a celebratory event attended by patients, well-wishers and community leaders. St Katharine Docks Medical Practice, run by Dr Sarit Patel, was under threat of closure last April, due to changes in funding. The Friends of St Katharine Docks, a group of residents and businesses in the area, helped recruit more patients for the flagging practice and urged the doctor to apply for financial support from the council and Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group to revamp the surgery. Poplar & Limehouse MP Jim Fitzpatrick and actor David Suchet were among guests at the re-opening on January 30. Sue Hughes, who headed the campaign to save the surgery Register to vote as election nears BY SUSAN MULLIGAN WITH less than 100 days to go until the country goes to the polls for the General Election on May 7, the council is reminding residents to ensure they are registered to vote under the government’s Individual Electoral Registration (IER) scheme. The new voter registration system took effect from June 10, 2014 in England and Wales. Under the new system each individual must register him or herself, as well as provide their National Insurance number and date of birth on the application form so that their identity can be verified. Under the previous system, the “head of the household” was required to register all residents of the household who were eligible. The UK’s electoral register has been around since 1832. It was improved by the new IER system to make sure that everyone who is registered to vote is entitled to do so and can make use of their democratic right. John Williams, electoral registration officer for Tower Hamlets, said: “The IER process will make the voting register more accurate as we can verify each application. “This will ensure that there is greater trust in the legitimacy and fairness of our elections.” There are two versions of the electoral register – the ‘full’ and the ‘open’ version. If residents want to opt out of the open register or for more information about IER, call 7364 0872. To register to vote online, go to www.gov.uk/registerto vote 9 – 15 FEBRUARY 2015 N E W S F R O M TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 5
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