:00:00. > :00:12.Health managers in Worcestershire have announced they're planning
:00:13. > :00:15.to follow Shropshire's example by making it tougher
:00:16. > :00:21.to qualify for a hip or knee operation on the NHS.
:00:22. > :00:24.They want to reduce the number of operations carried out
:00:25. > :00:26.by only offering them to patients who are in so much pain
:00:27. > :00:31.Here's our health correspondent Michele Paduano.
:00:32. > :00:33.Severe arthritis makes normal walking an agonising
:00:34. > :00:40.The 72-year-old from Pershore believes the
:00:41. > :00:44.She's been trying for a knee replacement for a year,
:00:45. > :00:45.and on the waiting list since September.
:00:46. > :00:48.Now she worries her wait will count against her.
:00:49. > :00:50.They just don't seem to understand exactly
:00:51. > :00:56.I've said I'll go anywhere to have this operation done.
:00:57. > :00:59.I don't even mind going up to Russell Hall or somewhere
:01:00. > :01:03.like that, just as long as I can get it done.
:01:04. > :01:07.I can't afford to go private. So I'm stuck.
:01:08. > :01:13.In future, most hip and knee replacements in Worcestershire
:01:14. > :01:16.will be carried out at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.
:01:17. > :01:18.But there is a scoring system to qualify.
:01:19. > :01:20.Those paying for the operations have made it harder.
:01:21. > :01:22.The Royal College of Surgeons said and arbitrary decision to restrict
:01:23. > :01:24.The Royal College of Surgeons said an arbitrary decision to restrict
:01:25. > :01:27.NHS care on the basis of pain and disability was alarming.
:01:28. > :01:30.The commission hopes to save ?2 million, but it says that
:01:31. > :01:31.ignores the potential impact of delayed treatment,
:01:32. > :01:38.But with a ?9 million deficit, commissioners here say they're
:01:39. > :01:46.This sits in a very difficult place with us as a clinical
:01:47. > :01:49.It's sits in a very difficult place with me as a doctor.
:01:50. > :01:52.You know, I have responsibilities to my individual patients,
:01:53. > :01:54.but we've also got responsibilities in terms of the amount
:01:55. > :02:01.We asked people in Worcester their thoughts on rationing care.
:02:02. > :02:05.If people need hip operations, they should be given hip operations,
:02:06. > :02:08.and I think they could make savings in other places.
:02:09. > :02:11.It's not really what we grew up to understand what
:02:12. > :02:17.It's unfortunate, but I don't see that there's a lot
:02:18. > :02:19.that we can do about it, given the climate.
:02:20. > :02:23.We're putting more money into the health service,
:02:24. > :02:26.but there is this fundamental question of is going
:02:27. > :02:29.but there is this fundamental question of is it going
:02:30. > :02:31.Is it being allocated fairly as well?
:02:32. > :02:35.If the British public wants to spend more on the NHS,
:02:36. > :02:38.and it looks like we're getting indications that maybe they do,
:02:39. > :02:42.We are doing that at the moment, but maybe the message
:02:43. > :02:46.For Mrs Morris, restricting her movement makes her life miserable.
:02:47. > :02:50.Michele Paduano, BBC Midlands Today, in Pershore.
:02:51. > :02:52.Around 800 cannabis plants have been found by police
:02:53. > :02:54.in a series of basements in Burton on Trent.
:02:55. > :02:57.Together, they form one of the largest factories found
:02:58. > :03:02.The plants have an estimated street value of ?400,000.
:03:03. > :03:08.A series of events have been held across the Midlands
:03:09. > :03:13.At County Hall in Worcester, children from five schools joined
:03:14. > :03:16.with members of the Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities
:03:17. > :03:20.to reflect on the mass murder of Jews under Nazi Germany.
:03:21. > :03:24.The day also remembers the victims of other genocides such as those
:03:25. > :03:30.carried out in Rwanda, Dafur and Cambodia.
:03:31. > :03:33.carried out in Rwanda, Darfur and Cambodia.
:03:34. > :03:35.More than 1800 drivers were caught using their mobile phones
:03:36. > :03:37.by Staffordshire Police between 2014 and 2015.
:03:38. > :03:40.But the force still doesn't think the message is getting through.
:03:41. > :03:43.It's been taking part in a nationwide crackdown this week,
:03:44. > :03:46.ahead of a change in the law to bring in even stiffer penalties.
:03:47. > :03:54.There can't be many people who don't realise that holding or talking
:03:55. > :03:56.on your mobile phone while driving is illegal,
:03:57. > :04:03.She's talking to somebody. Her phone's in her hand, see it?
:04:04. > :04:06.We're on patrol with PC James Ralph and Sergeant Mick Scott
:04:07. > :04:13.They've just stopped a woman who was talking on her phone
:04:14. > :04:19.Any use of the phone, other than hands-free,
:04:20. > :04:23.Is that quite a popular misconception that people think
:04:24. > :04:28.It's probably a little bit of that and it's a little bit of "I'll just
:04:29. > :04:31.have it down here and loudspeaker and perhaps people won't notice."
:04:32. > :04:33.Amongst the people we stop, there seems to be a mixture
:04:34. > :04:36.of confusion over the rules and those who admit
:04:37. > :04:43.You see as a fair cop? You just made a mistake?
:04:44. > :04:46.Yeah, it's a fair thing, I understand.
:04:47. > :04:49.At the moment, the typical penalty for this sort of offence is three
:04:50. > :04:54.points on your license and a fine of about ?100, and police forces
:04:55. > :04:59.also have discretion, with some operating safety courses
:05:00. > :05:01.as an alternative. But all of that looks set to change.
:05:02. > :05:05.The government wants to introduce a new system,
:05:06. > :05:07.which would mean an automatic six points on your license
:05:08. > :05:13.The aim is to create a deterrent in a world where
:05:14. > :05:21.Credit card in one hard, mobile phone in the other.
:05:22. > :05:24.The battle for hearts and minds continues.
:05:25. > :05:28.Elizabeth Glinka, BBC Midlands Today, Staffordshire.
:05:29. > :05:31.An exhibition showcasing the underground Northern Soul scene
:05:32. > :05:34.in the West Midlands opened today at the Birmingham City
:05:35. > :05:40.All Because of You has been put together by a researcher
:05:41. > :05:44.and photographer who wanted to document the younger generations
:05:45. > :05:48.now enjoying the Northern Soul movement in the region,
:05:49. > :05:50.now enjoying the Northern Soul movement in the region.
:05:51. > :05:52.Onto sport now and the 16-times world champion Phil Taylor
:05:53. > :05:55.from Stoke has announced that 2017 will be his final year
:05:56. > :05:59.on the Professional Darts Corporation tour circuit.
:06:00. > :06:02.The 56-year-old won his first world title in 1992 and went onto win
:06:03. > :06:06.eight successive titles between 1995 and 2002.
:06:07. > :06:10.He says he may still play in the Premier League and the World Series.
:06:11. > :06:13.And there's just one result to bring you from the Rugby tonight.
:06:14. > :06:16.Gloucester drew with Bath 17-17 in Round One of the Anglo Welsh Cup.
:06:17. > :06:19.That's all from the late team, but there's just time to wish
:06:20. > :06:22.Traditional celebrations have already got underway
:06:23. > :06:28.across the region to welcome in the Year of the Rooster tomorrow.
:06:29. > :06:34.I hope you have a lovely weekend and that the ones up a little, that
:06:35. > :06:40.stick a look at that weather. Goodbye. -- let's take a look.
:06:41. > :06:42.Well, steadily, our weather is changing and that change comes
:06:43. > :06:44.tonight in the form of the band of rain
:06:45. > :06:48.We'll see it right the way across the region,
:06:49. > :06:50.perhaps across eastern parts arriving a little later,
:06:51. > :06:51.but it is holding up our temperatures.
:06:52. > :06:53.During the day yesterday, they stay below freezing
:06:54. > :06:56.Overnight tonight, we'll see them ranging
:06:57. > :06:58.between between two and five Celsius.
:06:59. > :07:00.Our weather is finally changing. Low pressure is taking charge,
:07:01. > :07:02.so we see the weather system clearing away.
:07:03. > :07:04.A westerly wind direction, which should help to import
:07:05. > :07:06.something a touch milder, so our temperatures will
:07:07. > :07:08.start to rise as we head through the weekend.
:07:09. > :07:11.We'll start the day tomorrow with that rain band across us,
:07:12. > :07:14.We'll be left with something drier, brighter, some sunshine,
:07:15. > :07:16.but some sunshine pepping up during the day as well.
:07:17. > :07:19.Temperatures doing better, ranging between five and seven Celsius.
:07:20. > :07:22.As for Sunday, we've got an area of rain which is going
:07:23. > :07:26.Still some uncertainty as to how far north it will get,
:07:27. > :07:31.More information on all of that in the national forecast next.
:07:32. > :07:39.I'll leave you with an outlook for the next few days.
:07:40. > :07:47.Good evening. Not many would argue that January hasn't been dry, but
:07:48. > :07:52.today, many of us had our first significant rain for some time,
:07:53. > :07:54.because the transition is on from cold, Continental dry air to milder
:07:55. > :08:00.Atlantic air, but the transition is a slow one. So we have had ice
:08:01. > :08:04.today, and freezing fog, in northern England. We had a little sunshine as
:08:05. > :08:10.well in Norfolk, but we still have the cold air around and about in the
:08:11. > :08:14.north. All this rain you can see, which is giving is a wet day in some
:08:15. > :08:18.areas, 10-15 millimetres of rain has fallen, as it comes north there
:08:19. > :08:23.could be some winter it issues. Snow already falling over Scotland,
:08:24. > :08:24.possibly over northern England, possibly some sleet