Keep up to date with all the big stories from across Greater Manchester in the daily Mancunian Way newsletter. You can receive the newsletter direct to your inbox every weekday by signing up right here.
Here's the Mancunian Way for today:
Hello,
Patients asked to get themselves to hospital in taxis, ‘unprecedented attendances’ at A&E and a man who has been ‘living’ in hospital for a year. If these headlines aren’t enough to wake the government up to the ongoing problems in our crumbling NHS, then perhaps nothing will.
But they are all a reality within Greater Manchester’s health service right now. And ambulance personnel haven’t even started their strike yet. That action is due to begin tomorrow, with North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) staff set to walk out in a dispute over pay.
Bosses have warned there will be 'a significant and noticeable difference in the way we operate', as Paul Britton reports from a leaked NWAS memo.
Staff will operate ‘life and limb cover’ - meaning crews will respond to 'confirmed' cases of cardiac arrests and 'immediate threats to life’. Paramedics will also attend confirmed maternity emergencies.
But if A&E attendance is required 'immediate self-conveyance or taxi conveyance will be advised in all other circumstances'.
Patient transfers from walk-in centres, urgent treatment centres, care homes and assisted living settings to A&E won’t take place - something one hospital source said they are most concerned about.
Senior clinicians are expected to be located within control rooms to oversee 999 calls and make judgement calls on patients and who to respond to based on clinical need.
Meanwhile, military personnel are expected to be drafted in to cover for striking workers.
Patients are being asked to avoid ‘blocking’ phone lines by repeatedly calling 999, unless their condition has worsened.
Staff have been advised to prepare for '72 hours of disruption'.
Unions have urged the Government to make an offer on pay in a bid to avert strike action. Health Secretary Steve Barclay is meeting unions on Tuesday afternoon to discuss preparations for Wednesday’s strike, but it is understood he will not discuss pay.
Meanwhile Lawrence Dunhill, of the Health Service Journal, reports that Greater Manchester is set to declare ‘OPEL 4’ - which means organisations are 'unable to deliver comprehensive care' and there is an increased risk of safety being compromised.
Earlier today, Dr Muhammad Saleem Nasir pleaded with the public over 'unprecedented conditions' at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary’s A&E department. He said the Wigan hospital is facing 'exceptionally high levels of occupancy', growing pressure on its services and 'unprecedented attendances' at A&E. As a result, bosses said they 'must' prioritise treatment for patients with 'life or limb-threatening conditions and injuries'.
Last night seven ambulances were pictured waiting outside Royal Bolton Hospitals' A&E department, just hours after the trust warned of 'extremely long waits' for non-urgent patients.
Likely victims of modern slavery
Four men whose remains were discovered inside a burnt out building in Oldham were likely to have been the victims of modern slavery, police say.
Detectives say cannabis was being cultivated in part of Bismark Mill, where a blaze broke out last May.
It wasn’t until July that demolition workers discovered human remains, which have since been identified as four Vietnamese men - Cuong Van Chu, Uoc Van Nguyen, Duong Van Nguyen and Nam Thanh Lee.
Specialist teams are still combing the site for evidence and to rule out the possibility of further victims, as Sophie Halle-Richards reports.
Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes, of Greater Manchester Police, says the men were ‘likely to have been the victims of modern slavery’.
Two men who were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and other offences in connection with the case were released on bail earlier this year and GMP has been granted a bail extension.
"There are other lines of enquiry at the factory and it's safe to say we have recovered evidence that cannabis was being cultivated in part of the factory,” Det Supt Hughes said. "We are investigating modern slavery offences, organised crime offences and the potential that they were the victims of a homicide as well."
Specialist teams are searching through an estimated four and a half thousand tonnes of rubble at the site. Police cannot rule out that anyone else was present at the time of the fire until the search is complete. The cause of the fire is also still being investigated.
Det Supt Hughes says little is known about the four victims, but 'it's safe to say' they came to the UK for a better life, and to make money for their families back in Vietnam.
Vintage vessels from now on
Manchester's hectic Christmas Markets have run out of mugs for the second year running, meaning shoppers are having to drink out of ‘vintage’ vessels.
Unprecedented demand has led to a shortage and Manchester Council has had to bring in ‘standby’ mugs from past years.
As Dianne Bourne reports, last year 40,000 mugs sold out by the first week of December, so council bosses more than doubled their order for 2022. But even with a hefty supply of 140,000 mugs for this year it wasn't enough.
The 2022 mug designs feature festive cartoon figures that can be placed side-by-side to high five each other.
The main Christmas Markets will close on Thursday, but the bars at Piccadilly Gardens and the stalls around Cathedral Gardens will continue on Friday and Christmas Eve. They will be closed for Christmas Day and will reopen on Boxing Day until December 31.
A full flight schedule set to continue
Manchester Airport bosses say they don’t anticipate a need for cancellations during the Border Force strikes.
The Public and Commercial Service union has announced Civil Service industrial action that will impact Border Force services on December 23, 24, 25 and 26 and then on December 28, 29, 30 and 31. The government plans to deploy military personnel, civil servants and volunteers who are trained to support Border Force staff at airports and ports.
A Manchester Airport spokesperson said a full flight schedule will continue during that time. “We do not anticipate the need for cancellations and passengers do not need to change their travel plans, unless advised otherwise by their airline.
“There is a likelihood that waiting times at the Border will be – at times – longer than usual on these days, and we will provide whatever support we can to ensure passengers’ arrival back into Manchester is as smooth as possible.”
An unexpected consequence
As if being stranded on a freezing cold platform wasn’t bad enough a consequence of the rail strikes - now the action is affecting Wigan’s World Pie Eating Championships.
That’s right, the famous competition will no longer take place this year as organisers fear competitors would struggle to get to the event at Harry’s Bar. Instead organisers are looking to rearrange for a date in January.
'Piemaster' Tony Callaghan, owner of Harry's Bar, told Facebook followers he is ‘consulting with the elite competitors’ to find a slot that doesn't clash with ‘kebab night, chippy lunch day, or times when Asda discounts the 'best before' sandwiches and pasties’.
Reigning champion Ian Gerrard last won in 2019 after gobbling down a meat and potato pie in 35.4 seconds. Pipping his rival by one second, he said at the time: "Last year was my first time and I tried to eat it in one go. I thought I'd break it in half this year and it seemed to have worked."
Weather etc
- Wednesday: Heavy showers changing to sunny by late morning. 8C.
- Trivia question: What do elves do after school?
Manchester headlines
New: Education bosses have revealed plans to build a new primary school in north Manchester. Olive School, in Cheetham Hill, would have space for around 420 pupils. It's being earmarked for Bignor Park off Heywood Street. Developers say it will 'serve a local catchment, and as a high-quality, purpose-built school it will address an identified need within the community'. Under the plans, designed by Bowker Sadler Architecture, the two form-entry, two-storey school, car park, and multi-use games area would be built on the northern half of the three-acre site. The southern section, currently home to a cricket pitch, would be home to a sports pitch and two cricket batting nets that would be available for public use.
Closure: Meanwhile, a school in Wigan will be closed at the end of the academic year due to ‘financial pressure’ and ‘falling pupil numbers’. A closure notice was imposed on Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School back in October. Now, despite hundreds of objections during the consultation period, the council’s cabinet have confirmed the Ashton-based school will close. They explained that the decision to close at the end of the year was to ease the process for the Year 6 students moving on to secondary school. It was a decision an education boss stated was ‘not taken lightly’. More here.
Donation: Peter Kay will donate £14,000 to a children's charity - representing £1 for every person who went to see him at his O2 Arena stand up gig in London. The Bolton comic made the announcement at his show in the capital, telling fans the money will go to a secret Santa fund at Action for Children ahead of Christmas.
Speakeasy: Blossoms star Tom Ogden and wife Katie have revealed plans to open their first cocktail bar and salon venture in their native Stockport. The couple will launch Bohemian Arts Club on Lower Hillgate in the burgeoning Underbanks district in early 2023. The venue is currently undergoing a huge renovation, transforming it from a derelict and run-down space to what is planned to be a ‘chic and intimate cocktail bar’ on the first and second floors. There will also be the Bohemian hair salon on the ground floor. The late-night cocktail bar will be accessed by an entrance hidden away on the historic cobbled street of Coopers Brow. It has all been inspired by secret speakeasies from across the globe that owners Tom and Katie have visited whilst Tom toured with Blossoms.
Worth a read
This rather melancholic picture of reporter Tom Molloy speaks of the defeat he felt at the hands of the ‘42’ platter.
Tom is no stranger to taking on Man vs Food style eating challenges on behalf of the M.E.N - but he was well and truly out of his depth at the Café At The End Of The Universe.
The Warrington-based eatery gives diners half an hour to complete the 42-item challenge - which is inspired by 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. But as Tom discovered, it was even harder than it looks to consume 2kg of burger, hotdog, cheese, bacon and chicken in that time. Funny that.
After signing a disclaimer and paying his £30, Tom set to stuffing his face in the hope of securing a place in the cafe’s hall of fame, and a free T-shirt. But it was the carbs that defeated him in the end.
Commenting on the ‘superb’ fries, Tom writes: “They were so good that even when I was starting to struggle and felt like I couldn't fit in any more food, I found myself forcing them into small gaps in the side of my mouth.”
Now I know food challenges can seem a little grotesque, given the current financial climate - but as I understand it, the cafe donates £5 of every ‘42’ sold to a local foodbank.
You can read Tom’s full review here.
That's all for today
Thanks for joining me. If you have stories you would like us to look into, email beth.abbit@menmedia.co.uk.
If you have enjoyed this newsletter today, why not tell a friend how to sign up?
The answer to today's trivia question is: Their gnomework
