22/06/2014 Midlands Today

Good evening. on the BBC News Channel, and I'll be

A Gloucester man with a rare stomach condition has been

told he can't have an operation even though it could save

Gareth Pope suffers from Gastroparesis.

But the NHS wont operate, bdcause his case isn't exceptional dnough.

Here's our Gloucestershire reporter, Steve Knibbs.

Gareth Pope needs a cocktail of daily drugs to ease his pain

Gastroparesis means his stolach does not empty normally so he has to be

The cost of his drugs and benefits because he cannot

Yet an operation costing ?14,00 to ?20,000,

which could help him to lead a normal life will not be ftnded.

The fact that I have hardly ever been to the doctors or anything

before this and now all I nded is a bit of help and I'm not getting any.

In a statement of the Gloucestershire Clinhcal

Commissioning Group said thdy were sorry that Gareth was still

The operation which will effectively fit a pacemaker to get Gareth's

stomach working as a 65% ch`nce of success and is recognised bx NICE.

The fact that they could spdnd ?15,000 to ?20,000 and improve

my life, I could go back to work and cut down on medication `nd then

obviously I would be contributing back into the country with Tax and

National Insurance which I've done all my life anyway

This CCG said it would look at any new clinical information

from Gareth doctors and explore other treatments.

But his MP is now taking up the case saying the benefits for Gardth and

the economy of having the operation I just too obvious to ignord.

Steve Knibbs, BBC Midlands Today, Gloucester.

The Labour MP for Walsall North David Winnick,

has expressed concern that six of the region's NHS trusts `re in

The University Hospital of North Staffordshire is in the red

The figures, obtained from Lonitor, the Trust Development Authority

and the House of Commons Library, show NHS finances have gone

backwards in every English region since the General Election.

It certainly need more fundhng than it is getting at the moment.

Would you give it more fundhng, a future Labour government?

It certainly did so last tile, whatever may happen in the future no

one disputes as far as I understand, the Conservative party does not

dispute the very substantial extra funding that has gone into the NHS

from the last Labour governlent and I'm very pleased about that

One of the main routes out of Birmingham has been shut for most

of the day after an accident overnight damaged safety barriers.

It happened on the A38M Aston Expressway, leadhng to

Outbound traffic had to be diverted around the closure.

The Highways Agency said it needed to clear the road

and repair the barriers before traffic could be allowed back.

It's a town that's been a vhctim of events in recent years

from flooding to major roadworks with the result that many shoppers

But now businesses in Evesham are fighting back.

Independent retailers in the town have set up

their own customer loyalty scheme which they hope will also hdlp

Evesham's independent retailers are making sure

The costumes may be a gimmick but their new trading initiativd is not.

The recent closure of the towns main bridge for 6

months was not just frustrating but damaged many businesses.

I actually had to remortgagd and I've moved into a smalldr shop

It's tough can people come back from this, are they hoping they can

We are really hoping to comd back from that which is why the traders

are working together to say that they are now open for busindss.

And they have come up with a new customer loyalty card.

It is so important that all of the independent businessds come

together as a big group, a big group has a big voice.

We have a brand`new bridge now, it is going to be here

for another hundred years, I won't worry about that ag`in.

The sun is out, when the sun is out there is no better placd to

The scheme is also helping the towns heritage.

Because every time a loyalty card is filled in,

local retailers will make a small contribution to to the presdrvation

People are behind it, we have 70 businesses signed up to

Many shoppers are in Eveshal for the Vale's Fresh Food F`ir.

I do try, I do try to support the local businesses yeah.

I pop in for a few bits but not necessarily the main weekly shop.

The hope now is the loyalty scheme will persuade more shoppers

Let's have a look at the weather now.

lovely day today, despite the high pollen count

Just a little bit of cloud development taking place

We may see a small amount of mist forming overnight.

But the temperatures will drop down to a minimum of 12dC.

Another warm day in store tomorrow and again the pollen count

A lot of sunshine in the afternoon but just a chance

of a shower forming, mainly across the southern part of the patch.

The daytime temperatures tomorrow 24dC.

The outlook for the next few days, definitely some sunshine but a bit

Join me for the late bullethn at 22:15PM

East Anglia. Down towards the south coast and widespread blue skies are

likely to be yours. Scotland should improve as the hours go by.

Something you do need to bear in mind is the risk of some showers

developing, heavy across eastern Scotland, southern and eastern

England in the afternoon. They could be isolated but sharp if you're

caught in them. Highs up to 25 or