31/10/2013 Spotlight

the News of the World. That's all from the News at Six.

The Health Secretary is to examine how the pressure on A at the

region's biggest hospital may be resolved.

Good evening. Welcome to Spotlight. Jeremy Hunt has agreed to talks with

a Plymouth MP. One idea is to transfer some of the work done at

Derriford to pharmacists. We'll look at the pressure on ministers to act.

Also tonight, a motorist who seriously injured two teenagers

escapes a jail sentence. The German driver went the wrong way down a one

way street before crashing in Beer. And considering a gull cull ` the

seagull summit to discuss what some see as a modern menace. The pressure

on A, the plans to deal with the problem and the resulting criticisms

are all well documented. But in the case of the South West's biggest

hospital, the Health Secretary has agreed to take a special look at how

the issue may be tackled. Derriford declared a black alert during rising

admissions in March. One Plymouth MP says the night`time economy is

increasing the workload. So could pharmacists help ease the burden?

Spotlight's Janine Jansen reports. Is A always the best place to go

for your treatment? Earlier this month the Royal Cornwall Hospital

declared a major incident. There were not enough beds and operations

had to be cancelled. Back in March, Derriford's A department went on

black alert after a high number of emergency admissions. Plymouth MP

Oliver Colville says A's `` Derriford's A unit is under

pressure from late`night patients. Would my right honourable friend

meet with me and representatives from the pharmacists board as well

as pharmacists in my own constituency to discuss how they

could relieve pressure on A units, especially in Devon?

I would be more than happy to meet him and his local pharmacists.

I think there is a lot of pharmacies can do. One of the changes we are

introducing that could make a big difference is, where there are

proper protections in place for patients allowing pharmacists to

access GP records to make sure they can give people the correct method

`` medicines and know about allergies. There are lots of other

things, as well. Some pharmacists say they are

underused. I think for any minor ailment, the

pharmacy is more than adequate to be able to deal with coughs, colds,

sore throats, digester in, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, as opposed to

going straight to the emergency department. `` digester in. The

Royal pharmaceutical Society says around 8% A patients could be

treated pharmacists. Here at Hereford they treat around

90,000 A patients each year. That would be a reduction of around 7000

patients. Patient watchdog HealthWatch

plummets `` Plymouth said it would support any initiative to ease

pressure on departments. We have received mixed feedback. Any

negative experiences have been about waiting times being too long.

Meanwhile, Derriford says waiting times are improving after a rise

last winter. I'm joined by our Political Editor,

Martyn Oates. The pressure on A is very much in

the headlines at the moment. Absolutely, the National Audit

Office today released a report saying across England A admissions

have risen by a massive 47% in 15 years. It also says many of the

patients admitted in this way even stay in hospital for much too long.

It reckons at least a fifth of these patients could have been dealt with

outside hospital. It says the NHS needs to cope with these things much

better and deal with rising winter pressures. Labour this month have

predicted a dangerous winter, what have they said about it today? Today

the Shadow Health Secretary, Andy Burnham, blamed council services for

landing hospitals in the place where they cannot discharge patients,

leaving A fits to bursting. Closer to home, Alison C Beck, who

has Derriford in her constituency, said she understood to a point. She

said pharmacists do a fantastic job but could do more. Equally,

opticians or dentists, but this is a much bigger issue the government

needs to grapple with. Basically, like `` the pharmacist idea is like

picking a flea fat cat's back. Today the Health Secretary said the

NHS has never been more prepared for winter.

That is a story we will continue to follow. We would like to hear your

experiences of A Maybe you had a longer than expected

wait, or maybe you were seen quickly. Get in touch in the usual

way, by e`mail, Twitter or on our Facebook page.

Maybe you had a longer than expected wait, or maybe you were You can

leave your details if you want, as we may want to get in touch to hear

your story in more detail. Victims of crime in the South West

are suffering some of the longest waits for justice in the country,

according to figures obtained by the BBC. In the region it can take more

than a year from an offence being committed to the end of a court

case. In England and Wales, at the start of 2013, the average waiting

time was 45 weeks. But at Exeter Crown Court it was 59 weeks ` the

second worst on record. In the Weymouth and Dorchester Court Centre

it was 56 weeks, the third worst. second worst on record. In the

Weymouth and In Plymouth the delay was 51 weeks. Truro, at 44 weeks,

and Taunton, at 42, were the only courts in the region to have shorter

than average waits. Spotlight's home affairs correspondent, Simon Hall,

reports. and

They are celebrating Halloween at this pub in Exeter, and also the end

of a long trek through the criminal justice system. ?15,000 were stolen

from the business. It has taken two and a half years for the thief to be

brought to justice. When it takes two and a half years to get justice

done, it keeps coming around all the time. Phone calls happen and they

change the date, so you are all for `` always refreshing the wound of

it, you can never move on. It costs time and money and issues with

staff, who have to be witnesses eventually. The delays reverberate

on and on and on and make the issue fresh all the time. So you cannot

put it behind you and move on. A charity supporting victims of crime

says it is taking too long for offenders to be brought to justice,

and the wide variations across courts makes for a postcode lottery.

At the courts we do see the impact the delays have on victims and

witnesses. Coming to court can be a very traumatic experience for many

people. Delays or repeated adjournments or last`minute changes

can really add to the distress and anxiety felt by victims and

witnesses. The government say they are modernising Justice. This mock

trial at a new style court. The reason for the variation and delays

in resolving creases `` cases is unclear, but lawyers believe the

closure of some courts, particularly in rural areas, could be putting

more pressure on the system and the cuts to the prosecution service.

Today, the mystery of Justice said the latest figures indicated cases

were being speeded up. They were working across the justice system,

they said, to transform our fragmented, paper`based operation

into a modern digital system with the high standards the public

expect. University staff from across the

South West have been on strike today in a dispute centring on a 1% pay

rise. Unions say the offer amounts to a 13% pay cut over the last five

years. Employers said they were disappointed by the move.

Spotlight's John Ayres reports from Exeter.

Across the region, university workers were owed on the picket

lines early this morning, making the protest about money. `` they were

out on the picket lines. There is the money to make a better offer and

if universities do not start investing in staff who work there of

the experience for students, who are paying enormous fees now, will be

diminished. In Exeter is thought around 100 went on strike.

Many gathered today at a rally in the city.

We are saying negotiate meaningfully and we can resolve the situation. If

the university can afford to pay super salaries to the top staff, why

can they not afford to pay a living wage and basic salary increases to

those on the coalface? The unions claim many staff are

living on less than the social `` living wage.

Many universities say they cannot afford to pay more without job

losses. Bosses at Exeter incest staff are treated fairly. We'd ``

insist staff. We have a very competitive package

at all levels and for people at the lowest end of the pay scale we will

be in permitting the living wage. Many students are now on a reading

week. At Exeter 25% of staff are at the

union `` members of the unions or disruption is at a minimum. The

unions say they wanted to make a point. I think they did have a

right, the students strike `` went on strike when the fees went up.

I guess I support it but it has not affected us, particularly. The fees

have gone up trouble, it is implausible why they should not be

paid more if we are paying so much more.

This is the first walk`out overpay for seven years.

The unions hope the strike will get the universities to negotiate.

Two 16`year`old girls suffered life`changing injuries when they

were hit by a motor home in Beer. Today the driver received a

suspended jail sentence. 67`year`old Arnold Kasserra, from Germany, was

at the wheel of the vehicle when it went the wrong way down a one way

street and crashed. Spotlight's Hamish Marshall was at Exeter Crown

Court. The result of a driver losing

control of his vehicle as it went the wrong way down a steep hill as

he pressed the clutch thinking it was the brake. Two teenage girls

were in its path. Three months on one is confined to home and needs a

neck brace and a wheelchair. The other required a bar fitted to her

left leg. She has had a tour amputated and tissue transfers. She

is still on crutches. `` she has had one of her toes amputated.

Today Arnold Kassera was in court to be sentenced after pleading guilty

to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The court heard

that Arnold Kassera and his wife spent the night in the motor home in

the morning it gained speed. He said it was going too fast for

him to go left as he should have, so instead he went through the no entry

signs down the steep hill for 250 metres before crashing into the

girls. It was a tragic incident, I think it is not a deliberate act, in

a state of panic the vehicle started moving and he was sure that the

brakes were not working. But he was simply pressing the clutch rather

than the brake? Yes, he was simply pressing the wrong pedal. In passing

sentence of 18 `` suspended sentence of 18 months, the judge said you

lost your head and pressed the wrong pedal and could not bring yourself

back to reality in time. He added, I have not for one moment lost sight

of the project `` predicament of the two girls. No one knows for sure to

what extent the girls will recover. Arnold Kassera was also fined ?1000

and banned from driving for five years.

You're watching Spotlight from the BBC with Natalie Cornah and Simon

Clemison. If you've just joined us, welcome to the programme. Still to

come... What's different about these stamps?

Well, they're not actually stamps. But they've still worked in the

post. We will meet the man who duped the Royal Mail.

And could it be fright or flight? The decision over whether one scary

collection stays in Cornwall looms on this Halloween.

We are a region defined by our coastline, and what do you get on

the coast? Seagulls, of course, and quite a few stories about them, as

you may have noticed down the years. But the divide over their status as

nature or nuisance has now been taken to a new level. A seagull

summit is being held in East Devon tonight. Some are calling for a

cull. Here's our Environment correspondent, Adrian Campbell. Some

people love seagulls, but others despise them. One thing is certain

that there are thousands along this coast line.

This can be a hazardous activity in East Devon.

Seagulls love chips, but you're not supposed to feed the birds. Seagulls

leave a mess and they will also your food.

Tell me exactly what happened when you're eating your ice cream?

When I was eating my ice cream, a seagull snatched it off. Were you

scared? Yes. She had only had two lakes. And with that seagull flew

down, grad `` grabbed the ice cream come all over the floor and we had a

very upset to learn the half year old. I am not worried about them but

they are very good at getting on my shoulder and eating the ice cream. I

have lost to this year all ready. At the moment I have learned to keep it

close to my chest and that helps. Jayne Sharp from this hotel

represents the hospitality industry in Plymouth. `` James Sharp.

What can the summit achieve two I think it will give a better

understanding to the locals and some of the professionals in the area. We

will understand how we can deal with this problem locally. I think a cull

is a short`term fix, but with that we also have to look at the

long`term of the gulls. It is not healthy for them to be eating ice

cream and fish and chips on the seafront, knocking it out people's

hands. That is not their natural diet.

East Devon district Council's seagull summit will `` advise people

on seagull lifestyles, waste control and also the legal situation, and

that is important because they have quite a lot of protection. If it is

a real public health and safety issue, DEFRA will get permission. If

it is a rift to aircraft, DEFRA will grant permission. But you cannot be

issued a licence because gulls are a nuisance. `` if it is a risk to

aircraft. Seagulls are a nuisance, but you can take your own

precautions. What a very wise man.

And there's more on the issue of seagulls on Sunday Politics on BBC

One this Sunday at 11am. Politicians will discuss whether the law should

change to make it either easier to cull gulls or harder to feed them.

The family of the Devon man who died in a fatal collision on the M5 on

Tuesday have paid tribute to him. 53`year`old Trevor Knight was from

Sandford near Crediton. He had been a lorry driver for more than 20

years ` a job his family said he loved to do. Police are appealing

for witnesses to the accident. Nine out of ten trains will have be

on time under new Government targets. Our biggest operator, First

Great Western, will have to achieve that by 2019 for all services. But

it has been set a lower target for its long distance routes between

London, wales and the South West. Plans to cut nearly 100 jobs from

two Devon councils have moved a step closer. South Hams District Council

has voted for it and West Devon to shed around a quarter of their

staff. The move will save ?3.8 million a year. The councils plan to

investment in IT services. A Government scheme to provide more

homes has been criticised by an influential committee of MPs. The

Public Accounts Committee says the New Homes Bonus has helped areas

with low housing need, while those with the greatest need have been the

biggest losers. A father and son from Somerset have

been fined after admitting trying to kill badgers and interfering with

their setts. David and Philip Bown, who are both cattle farmers, pleaded

guilty to the offences which took place in April this year. Zoe Gough

reports from Yeovil Magistrate's Court.

Father and son David and Philip Bown appeared before magistrates today,

both cattle farmers who farmed near Shepton Mallet, which the court

heard had suffered an outbreak of TB in 2011 which resulted in 54 of the

dairy cows being put down. The case itself was brought by the RSPCA.

Both men admitted joint charges of wilfully killing a badger and

interfering with a badger setts. The court ordered them both to pay ?1370

each. Following that verdict, RSPCA officer Alan Barnes gave me this

reaction. I don't think the defendants are bad

people. They have been foolish in blocking the setts and putting a

hosepipe down it. But we are sympathetic to the fact that they

have had TB. They were desperate, so, yes, overall I'm happy with the

sentence the magistrate has given out.

Mr Barnes also told me this had been a very difficult case for the RSPCA

in deciding how to proceed. But that, because of the serious nature

of the charges, they did decide to bring it to court. He also pointed

out that, with the following badger cull that happened in Somerset after

this case he gave credit to the two farmers for not having used that as

an excuse, but simply saying it was down to their concerns for their own

herd. Now, what do you do for a pastime?

Hatch a cunning plan to slip under the radar of the Royal Mail by

putting your own face on fake stamps? Well, collecting them is so

last year, isn't it? But it is true ` one man from

Somerset has been quietly slipping through Royal Mail's net for years.

Jules Hyam reports on an architect with a mysterious hobby.

This is a face that is now well`known to Royal mail. For the

past three years this phase has been passing through sorting offices and

franking machines around the UK and around the world. Because, since

2010, this man has not been using the Queen's head to ensure his post

gets delivered. Angus McDonagh has been using his own.

He said he has sent 250 letters with meaningless self designed stamps and

postmarks around the world. Only one was not delivered for free.

My letters should not get through and they have been sent to various

parts of the world, not just the UK.

They have been sent to Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France, North America,

Australia, New Zealand, South Africa.

Mr McDonagh has created 50 stamp designs altogether. Most feature

himself and contain a joke or two. All of them, he says, are done with

a wry smile and a hint of mint sheet `` mystery.

The envelopes are also tearfully created and it can take a whole day

to perfect the prank. I have to admit I have had a lot of

fun doing it. Now is time to call a halt and if possible I would like

work with Royal mail in order to try and resolve this obvious flaw in the

system. It is perhaps important to point out that you probably don't

want to try this at home. Not so much because it is time consuming,

more because Royal mail says it is against the law to create or use

counterfeit stamps. Mr McDonagh says his stamps are not counterfeit but

are originals and he has sent money to the Royal mail. Royal mail Serie

A looking at how these stamps got through the system.

`` Royal mail says they are looking. Tonight of course is Halloween,

usually one of the busiest days for one of Cornwall's scariest museums.

But visitors to the the Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle, have been

told that the owner of the museum is hanging up his broomstick and

retiring. So will the collection stay in

Cornwall? Spotlight's Eleanor Parkinson has been to find out.

Witches, dolls for nasty spells, potions and monkeys goals come all

packed into one of Cornwallscariest museums. `` monkey skulls.

This museum at Boscastle is particularly busy today.

This family were looking at one of the chairs used for docking people

suspected of being a witch. What would happen to the which?

They would die. What is the attraction of this

museum? I just think the fact it is so dark and scary looking, lots of

interesting artefacts which appealed to all of my children, old and

young. This is called a wondrous candle,

and it is believed the candle is made from human and tallow.

When it is lit, whoever is carrying it can be invisible to others.

But Graham King, the owner of the museum, wants to retire. He says he

will miss the magic and witchcraft. We all do magic, it is everywhere.

Walk through any Cornish village and look at the doors and you will see a

horse shoe. They are people that believe in magic. The collection is

being handed over to the Museum of British folklore, but they said the

artefacts will stay in Cornwall for the time being.

This is the most important collection of witchcraft created

objects in the country, within the world, I should imagine.

It is enormously important, but it is not just witchcraft related.

There is also lots of other charms and spells and objects.

So, whether they are frightened or just fascinated, this collection

looks safe for future Halloween is. `` for future Halloweens.

Lots of weird and wonderful stories tonight ` well, it is Halloween.

What is happening tonight. Take that mask of!

I walked into that one! Good evening. It will be damp for

those trick or treating in the forecast. Tomorrow the rain gets

more intense, so if you are ready tonight to take your umbrella and

waterproofs. It is not called but it will be fairly damp. `` it is not

cold. We have a wet night and even wetter tomorrow. This lump of cloud

developing in the Atlantic is in new area of low pressure. That is racing

towards us and will arrive on our shores around the middle of the data

model. Lots of heavy rain around that, strengthening winds, too. ``

around the middle of the day tomorrow. That moves quite fast, it

moves from us right up towards Norway by the middle of the day on

Saturday, very quickly replaced by another area of low pressure. That

has some strong winds, gusts up to 60 mph possible. After a brighter

start to the day on Saturday some rain from lunchtime onwards. There

have been some breaks in the cloud today and a lot of the cloud has

been medium and high level. This was earlier today in Sidmouth when it

was not raining. Here we have had some brightness in the sky. Just

enough waves for some of the surfers to enjoy, as well. The sea

temperature has come down, all of the Stormont `` store Minas has

mixed the cold in the water. `` all of the storms have mixed the cold.

There is the dampness overnight tonight, rain off and on throughout,

not particularly heavy. We keep a lot of cloud, winds from the

south`west, not overly strong, and night`time temperatures down to

single figures at nine or 10 Celsius. Tomorrow we will wake up to

a lot of cloud and outbreaks of rain, the heavy rain at the end of

the day, particularly in South Devon and Dorset. The brighter colours

illustrating where the heavier bands of rain will come in in the evening.

It will also be windy. Along the south coast we have a strengthening

southeasterly breeze, quite gusty by the early evening, easterly winds

bringing the temperature down somewhat. 13 or 14 Celsius the

highest we can expect tomorrow, feeling cold, too, because of the

rain. For the Isles of Scilly, the wind is quickly becoming a strong

easterly and changing direction as the low pressure moves away from us.

Also, outbreaks of rain off and on through the day. For that kind of

high water... `` the times of high water...

The north coast will have the cleanest surf, big waves, very

unpleasant conclusions along the south coast once the southeasterly

winds get going. They will start from the South or Southeast, Force

five, I'd to see increasing to force seven, then becoming cyclonic deal

force eight as the low`pressure moves us. Rain at times reducing

visibility. On Saturday this rain and cloud will

come in, swirling around the low`pressure, windy on Saturday and

specially in the afternoon and evening. The forecast for Sunday is

a mixture of sunshine and blustery showers, quieter by Monday. For many

of the fireworks and bonfire displays this weekend it will be

quite windy. Good evening. That is it for now. If you are

celebrating Halloween tonight take care. We believe you now with some

pictures of Halloween parades of lanterns. Good night.

Come with me! Hubble, bubble, Boyle and trouble!

Fire burn and cauldron bubble! Planet Earth - it's unique.

It has life. To understand why, we're going to

build a planet...up there. These were the objects that were

making the Earth. We're now weightless.

That's how our planet started.