'Pets Before Humans' London Poison Strategy

Main Category: Bio-terrorism / Terrorism
Also Included In: Public Health;  Veterinary
Article Date: 15 Jul 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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'Cats & Dogs Take Priority In New London Poison Strategy'

Unite calls on government to save Guy's Poisons Unit

The welfare of cats and dogs will come before the fall-out from any terrorist attack in London under the capital's new poison strategy.

The closure of the Guy's and St Thomas's Poisons Information Service at the end of this month (July) will mean that information about the effects of any chemical attack by terrorists in the capital will be handled by centres elsewhere in the country.

The situation has been caused by the decision of the government's Health Protection Agency not to fund the service which deals with a third of UK's poisoning inquiries. The remaining units in Birmingham, Cardiff, Newcastle and Edinburgh will answer the 'London' calls.

However, vets will be able to contact the service in London about a dog that has eaten rat poison.

Unite, the country's largest union, is calling on the Public Health minister, Dawn Primarolo to reverse the decision.

Unite National Officer for Health, David Fleming said: 'Unlike most major capital cities in Europe, London will be without a poisons centre.'

'At a time of heightened alert from terrorist attack and especially in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics, London will be without a dedicated 24-hour telephone information service for chemical poisoning.'

But Unite revealed that the forthcoming closure of the 'human' service in London - heavily used during the 7/7 attacks in 2005 - will not affect the 'Guy's Poisons' staff's ability to provide a 24-hour service for poisoned animals.

Unite Regional Officer, Richard Munn said: 'The scenario that 'cats and dogs' are given priority above human beings is straight out of a Monty Python sketch.'

'Our concern is that doctors, nurses and ambulance personnel in London and the South East will not have access to a centre in London, so they may not speak to staff who have sufficient knowledge of the London area to be able to quickly pick up potential cases, trends or clusters of poisoning in London.'

'However, the same 'Guy's Poisons' staff will still be there providing a 24-hour service for poisoned animals, but will not be allowed to answer enquiries about NHS patients.'

Notes

Unite NHS Day of Protest - 18 July - Cut our pay - No way!

Unite members across the country will take part in day of protest against the NHS pay offer on the 18 July, 2008. Workers will be campaigning around the slogan: 'Cut my pay? No way!'

For more information visit: http://www.unitetheunion.com/nhsdayofprotest

Unite/CPHVA press releases can be seen on the CPHVA website: http://www.unitetheunion.com/cphva

Unite (Amicus section) is the third largest union in the NHS. It has seven professional sections: the Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association, the Mental Health Nurses Association, the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists, the Society of Sexual Health Advisers, the Medical Practitioners' Union, College of Healthcare Chaplains, and the Hospital Physicists Association.

Unite was formed by an amalgamation of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers' Union in May 2007.

Unite The Union

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