22/03/2012 Look North (Yorkshire)

Good evening. On Look North tonight: There's a new man at one

of Britain's most underperforming medical trusts. But hundreds of

thousands of you will have no promise of an accident and

emergency unit months after it closed. We have an interview with

the new chief executive of the Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust. One of

the highest honours possible for a Yorkshire soldier who died trying

to save his Conrad. And we think she's the oldest driving instructor

around, Ian White takes a lesson with 82 - year-old Phyllis. --

comrade. There will be more cloud around tomorrow. You detailed

forecast coming up shortly. Thousands of injured and ill people

in need of an accident and emergency unit in a part of

Wakefield face a prolonged journey to hospital for at least a few

months longer. The new boss of the Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust today

refused to put any time-scale on the re-opening of the acute unit at

Pontefract after it shut six months ago. Chief Executive Stephen Eames,

which looks after Pontefract, Dewsbury and Pinderfields Hospitals,

says he hopes to have a plan by the end of April but it may not be the

same service that was there before. Well it's certainly been a

difficult few months at the trust. It was back in November the A&E

department at Pontefract Hospital was closed to overnight patients

amid doctor shortages. It made national headlines when army medics

were considered as a way of keeping the service open. In the end that

was ruled out but the trust had other problems. Dr Eva Michalak was

awarded �0.5 million in a sex and race discrimination case after

being hounded out of her job. There have been two bed resignations and

all of this went the trust is in financial trouble. -- two beg

resignations. It is in the worst financially performing trusts. --

big. There are concerns about maternity services and it is

obviously having problems staffing the accident and emergency unit.

feel betrayed. If it goes to the heart of The Deep distrust that

there is. Shiny new hospitals disguising some deep seated

problems. Top of the list is the closure of Pontefract accident and

emergency unit to overnight patients. This is because of a

shortage of doctors. We got here at quarter past 10 tonight and it was

shut. It was disgraceful. I was in pain all night. If it had been

anything more serious and we had to get through to Wakefield it could

have been horrendous. A troubled chief-executive brought in from the

north-east. Putting your cards on the table, what people really want

to know is when it will be open. cannot give an absolute date at

this stage but what we will be able to say very clearly at the end of

April is when that will be. Are we talking one year, two years, five

years? I would expect there to be a very swift response. We are not

talking about a year or more than that. And that would be an accident

and emergency department as people understand it, somewhere they can

go in an emergency? We are looking at the his options associated with

the use of primary care physicians, specialist nurses and hospital

consultants. Do you think that is what people on the streets

understand accident and emergency to be? I think they understand it

is important that a local hospital has an emergency care service and

that is what we intend to provide. The trust has also blown its budget

for this year with a projected overspend of nearly �20 million.

That is not a small amount of money, is it? It is a serious mistake.

is not a small amount of money. It is as significant overspend. It is

the intention of the trust to make sure we deliver a balanced position

in the coming year. The new chief executive is only three weeks into

the job and he faces big challenges that he readily accepts cannot be

fixed overnight. Our local MPs have been involved. Your constituents

are no sooner to knowing if it will be open any time soon, that is

still not good enough, is it? 14,000 people have now signed our

petition to get the accident and emergency unit reopened. It should

never have been closed overnight in the first place. It is very

important that there is a new management in place but we want it

reopened as soon as possible. Leaving party politics aside for

the moment. People's lives in your constituency are on the line with

no overnight emergency service in Pontefract, that is just not good

enough? That's correct. There have been some very troubling cases

where people have had to be taking some distances to different

hospitals when actually they should have been treated at Pontefract. We

have to have this service reopened as soon as possible. People feel

very angry about this. We need a urgent action. I have said to the

new chief executive very clearly that I want to see and everyone in

my area want to see urgent action to get this reopened. People need

these services. Your Government had 13 years in power when billions

were pumped into the NHS. This is a brand new hospital but surely if

you cannot find enough doctors and staff to keep it open that is a

damning indictment on Labour? think it is right that we have a

new chief-executive in place now. There does all sorts seem to be a

national problem which has grown much worse very recently West not

just Pontefract but another hospital in Staffordshire having to

as the army for help getting basic services are open. That should

never have happened. The Government should have stepped in earlier. It

is being made harder for the local management because the NHS locally

is having to spend �30 million on this reorganisation which is very

damaging. That money should be spent getting services back into

Pontefract and getting the accident and emergency unit reopened. Stay

with us. It was a very proud day. The family of a Yorkshire soldier

died trying to save a friend was honoured at the Palace. With just

one week to go before polling day the campaign to elect the next MP

for Bradford West stepped up a gear for today. The Prime Minister spent

the morning supporting the Conservative candidate Jacqui

Whiteley. He is the first of the party leaders to take part in the

campaign. They are more people in work, employment in Bradford has

grown over the last quarter. We are putting �17 million into the town

centre. We are Updating the Bradford to Manchester Railway and

yesterday we announced that Bradford will have super-fast

broadband. The regional growth fund is investing right across this area.

That is the Prime Minister in Bradford today. Jobs and the

economy at the heart of the campaign to replace the former MP

who retired because of ill health. The constituency had some of the

highest unemployment in the region. We asked this candidate how he

would tackle the problem. This man is a fighter. He has to be. At just

18 the Bradford lad is out of work. He has still to get his first

proper job after leaving school. thought that soon after leaving

school people would be offering me jobs. I always thought that the

higher you go in education be more doors it would open but in this day

and age it is not true. He left school six months ago with decent

GCSEs and A-levels and is now back at college on a part-time

accountancy course to make himself more employable. He desperately

wants a job. Can the candidates in the by-election offer him a job?

will be giving allowances of 1,500 pounds to employers who would take

on a young person in your age group to be an apprentice. They are also

giving incentives of over �2,000 for employers to take on a young

person again into a long-lasting jobs. Jimmy will guarantee every

young person that is out of work long term a six month paid work

placement in the private sector, before by bankers bonuses. We would

get money to your future employer to help take you and give you some

work. What we need to do as Lib Dems is really strengthen the

economy, focus on getting some jobs into Bradford. There are now some

1,700 and the 20 fours like this man out of work. It is up 40% in

just one year. For the first time in his life last night we took him

to a campaign debate at the University where he tackled the

minor parties. We will have a lot of proactive schemes particularly

for young people who want to start their own businesses, you will make

it easy for them to get start-up to make that happen. We will say that

the Government needs to spend more money, not less. Throwing people on

the dole is costing more than it would be to put them in work.

sending the �50 million per day to the European Union -- stop sending.

Bring it back to Bradford and spend it here, that is what is important.

The dead good responses however I do not think it will help. There is

a huge amount of people unemployed. What They are going to do is just

fell a small amount of that big gap. -- fell as small a mine. Now he is

back to training, College and the job search. -- fill a small amount.

We're expecting the other leaders to visit Bradford before polling

day next Wednesday. For a full list of candidates you can look online.

All six candidates will be debating the issues live on Sunday Politics

this coming Sunday. That should be a good watch. Doncaster's mayor has

rubbished suggestions that Doncaster Rovers' stadium could be

knocked down. It is losing �300,000 per year and is council-owned. The

Mayor says it will not be knocked Council taxpayers have been picking

up the bill. The idea anyone is going to knock it down, some clown

has been talking about that, you ought not to take notice.

Lawyers for Sheffield Hallam student Richard O'Dwyer who faces

extradition to the United States have lodged an appeal. He is

accused of copyright infringement. The US Government claims that he

created a website which hosted links to pirated films and TV

programmes without permission. A teenager who smashed a stolen car

into the living room of a family home in Bradford has been jailed

for more than four years. 18-year- old James Abson caused severe

damage when he ploughed into the home of Samantha Wells and Andrew

Mann in Buttershaw last November. The couple were asleep at the time.

The teenager was also banned from driving for five years.

A derelict Edwardian power station that was recently renovated in the

Yorkshire Dales is now producing enough electricity for 90 homes.

Linton Falls had been abandoned as an historical footnote on the River

Wharfe. But rising electricity prices and Government subsidies

have made it a viable business once again.

A Yorkshire soldier who died saving the life of an injured comrade in

Afghanistan has been awarded the George Medal. The parents of

Private Martin Bell received the posthumous award at Buckingham

Palace. The young paratrooper disobeyed an order to help his

stricken comrade in January last year, as Cathy Killick reports.

A proud but poignant moment for the family. The George Medal was

presented to the parents of Martin Bell in a private ceremony at

Buckingham Palace by the Queen. They received it on a bath of they

did son Martin. He died in January after he disobeyed a direct order

and went to help a comrade. -- on behalf of their son. The tourniquet

is he applied save the life of his comrade. For a second explosion

claimed his life. The family are grateful for this public

acknowledgement of his courage. was absolutely amazing. It was

fantastic. We were also nervous. She put CDs. Obviously, we are

receiving yet bombast of Martin. -- she puts you at ease. It was

fantastic. The 24-year-old soldier had worked as a community support

officer before joining the Army. Fellow paratroopers came to value

him at the unveiling of a black. This man lost his leg in the blast

but stood for the tribute. -- plaque. The George Medal is awarded

for acts of great bravery. Soldiers are not supposed to disobey orders

but the medal shows they -- there are exceptions to every rules. In

the words of his commanding officer, sometimes you have to do a wrong

thing to do a right thing. That memorial where he was a young

community constable, people go and sign a book of remembrance, it was

getting bigger and bigger. It is a fitting tribute. Still to come: A

homeward-bound. The intrepid presenter is pedalo their way into

West Yorkshire. The end is in sight. Later: I will be meeting fillers.

She has been a driving instructor for 66 years. -- Phyllis. She will

put me to the test. Be gentle with me! I will. Is being a good driver?

Not particularly! I think she might be a tough instructor.

New Zealand will begin the defence of their Rugby League World

Championship in Leeds. Children from Froebelian School performed a

traditional Maori haka at Headingley Stadium where a group

game between the Kiwis and Papua New Guinea will take place next

year. It will also host one of the quarter-finals which has been

greeted as a boost for both the city and the club. The city is

going to benefit financially through the number of people that

will come a long. It will be a real festival of sport. It is the

prestige of being able to host this and be back on the international

agenda and the back as a host city. We are staging a major game. It is

one of my Games, and doing the Maori haka!

If you have been watching over the past few days, you will have seen

the incredible efforts of Radio Leeds Adam Pope and Katherine

Hannah. They have been pedaloing down the Leeds and Liverpool Canal

on Grace the swan to raise money for Sport Relief. They are entering

the home stretch and finish tomorrow in the centre of Leeds. It

It is without doubt the hardest thing I have ever done. Physically

and mentally. I had no idea. We put the training in but I had no idea

how tough it was going to be. first two days, we went through

Liverpool and it became brittle. The pain was incredible. Mentally,

it hit me on day three. -- brutal. It is the repetition and the

monotony. Today, it's great, loads of people are out to support us.

But there have been a lot of long, lonely stretches where it felt it

would never end. I have missed my family. My children came out today

with my wife. It was so brilliant to see them. At the time, it held.

Day three, it got to me. They'd put me on the phone. -- it helps.

of times, I have thought, I cannot do this. Particularly when your

family come along. You think, just take me away. But you do not want

to let people down. I do not want to let Adam down. For that is why

you have to keep going even though it has been incredibly difficult

and very emotional at times. body is in bits. This is really

hard and I want to give up but I cannot let down all those people

who have given so generously to charity match. That is what makes

me keep going. -- Sport Relief. They must be exhausted. It is a

fantastic cause. The total says �23,000. But it is nearly 25,000

now. It is an extraordinary amount. now. It is an extraordinary amount.

Their target was �12,000. If you Their target was �12,000. If you

would like to donate, you can text "swan" to 70011. Texts cost �1 plus

your standard network message charge and the whole �1 goes to

Sport Relief. Do not forget you can donate as much as you want by going

to the website. I know hundreds of you have been

going out on to the canal to see them. Tomorrow, they are coming to

Granary Wharf. They looked a very emotional. We think the thing they

would like most is for us to greet them. I think we may be doing that!

You are welcome too. If you want to see how they have done at the end,

come along. Can you remember who taught you to

drive? I remember my test. Did you pass the first time? I did. I tried

to get out the car with the C Bell still on! -- seat belt still on.

There is one lady in Doncaster who has seen thousands of pupils pass

through her hands. Phyllis Millbank is 82 and has been teaching people

to drive for an amzing 66 years. And she has got no intention of

stopping. She still helps people at her local church learn to drive.

Ian White has been for a lesson. I cannot but help the amazed at

these pictures. Particularly the old cars. When Phyllis Millbank

started teaching people to drive, the roads were a different place.

Her love affair with motoring began at the end of the Second World War.

I started when I was 16 in my dad's garage. I got boxes of chocolates

so that was fine. She was the first woman to teach for the British

School of Motoring and is still vice-president of Doncaster's

Institute of Advanced motorists. You should be able to put your

people at ease while driving. If they do anything wrong, you just

say, would you mind pulling into the side of the road and stop?

is time to put my driving skills to the test. I hope you are ready.

am. You are a brave woman. certainly am. Whenever you are

ready. You have got to put your seatbelt on. Well done. You are

doing very well. Hand on the steering wheel, please. Two hands

at all times and less changing deers. You are going right at the

roundabout. Two hands on the wheel, please. I haven't got enough Hans!

-- hands! I would trust you with my life with your capabilities.

did I do? I think you did remarkably well. 100%. You're

joking? A very good. You have no bad habits. Only once did I see you

take your hand off the steering wheel. It should be there now! That

three told. -- that's me told. You still can't park, can you? Let

me show you two pictures. The St Ives estate looking beautiful. Keep

the pictures coming in. You can e- mail us. There is a bog, too. --

There will be more cloud around tomorrow. But skies will Brighton.

There should be nice spells of sunshine. High-pressure in charge.

Predominantly dry weather continues. You can see there has not been a

cloud in the sky. It has been hazy in places. Last night, we got to

minus three. That was colder than we thought. There was a net in the

air. Tonight, a widespread ground frost. -- in the up. Temperatures

will be two degrees. There will be greyness by dawn. A light south-

east wind. High water times... A lot of cloud around first thing.

They could be thick enough for a bit of drizzle. Most of us will be

dry. Slowly, through the day, particularly into the afternoon,

the cloud will break up a we will see sunny spells across most areas.

The breeze will be light. It has been a glorious day on the coast.