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Cover-up "almost the worst thing I have ever seen" says Cumbrian MP
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has called the allegations "shocking" and said it is one of the worst things he has seen in his lifetime:
Cockermouth has been "enhanced" by heritage scheme
The transformation of the high street in Cockermouth following the floods in 2009 has been captured in print.
Main Street Reborn shows how the town used the disaster as a catalyst to replace poorly designed shopfronts with ones more in keeping with the town's Georgian past.
Using the Heritage Grant Scheme the Civic Trust succesfully took on 31 properties to give the town a facelift.
Darren Ward is the Civic Trust Architectural Advisor and he believes the town is now better than it used to be:
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Hunt calls for 'individuals to be held accountable'
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has hinted at the need to name those responsible for an alleged cover-up at the CQC health regulator - something that has not happened so far.
In a statement to the House of Commons, he said: "The whole truth must now come out and individuals must be held accountable for their actions."
NHS watchdog apologises for 'letting people down'
This report reveals just how poor the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) oversight of University Hospitals Morecambe Bay (UHMB) was in 2010. This is not the way things should have happened. It is not the way things will happen in the future. We will use the report to inform the changes we are making to improve the way we work and the way we are run.
We are changing the culture of the organisation. The commissioning and publication of this report symbolises the approach we are taking and will continue to take. We are determined CQC will be an open and transparent organisation.
The report shows how CQC provided false assurances to the public and to Monitor in 2010. We were slow to identify failings at the trust and then slow to take action. We should not have registered UHMB without conditions.
We let people down, and we apologise for that.
– Care Quality Commission spokespersonThere is no evidence of a systematic cover up or of any collusion between CQC and the Public Health Service Ombudsman, but the example of how an internal report was dealt with is evidence of a failure of leadership within CQC and a dysfunctional relationship between the executive and the board. There is evidence of a defensive, reactive and insular culture that resulted in behaviour that should never have happened.
Regulator 'covered-up' failure to stop hospital scandal
Officials at the NHS watchdog ordered that evidence of its failure to prevent a scandal at a hospital maternity unit be destroyed, a report will show according to the Daily Telegraph.
Regulators at the Care Quality Commission deleted the review of its failure to act on concerns about University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, according to the report.
Police are investigating the deaths of at least eight mothers and babies at the Trust.
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Care Quality Commission under fire
The organisation responsible for keeping the Health Service in check, is itself facing some serious allegations - there are even calls for a criminal investigation.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) ordered staff to destroy one of it's own reviews in order to cover up the CQC's own failings.
The incident relates to the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust - The Trust runs hospitals in South Cumbria.
Today's report claims the CQC covered up a failure to investigate a Cumbrian hospital where mothers and babies died through neglect.
Concerns about the maternity unit at Furness General Hospital came to light in 2008, but the CQC gave the Morecambe Bay trust the all-clear in 2010.
However, when a review into maternity care was ordered in 2011 it was so damning it was allegedly suppressed.
Reed beds making "remarkable" recovery
Reed beds which were destroyed in the arson attacks at Siddick Pond Nature Reserve in April appear to be recovering extremely well.
More than half of the reed beds were set alight during a spate of nuisance fires and there were fears that they would be unable to recover from such devastation.
However, chairman of the nature reserve, Bill Bacon, is impressed with the regrowth:
"It has been really remarkable how nature has bounced back.
"We still have a long way before we are back to full strength but next year we are confident all the animals and birds who fled the fire will return."
Shopfronts given dramatic facelifts
The Cockermouth Shopfront Heritage Grant Scheme used the damage caused by the 2009 floods as a catalyst to replace poorly designed and modern shopfronts with ones in keeping with the town's historic past.
Number 1 Castlegate was given a dramatic facelift, alongside 30 other shopfronts.
Work is about to begin at Cockermouth Sweet Shop on Main Street, which will be the final property to take part in the scheme.
Scottish Second and Third Division fixtures 2013/2014
The Scottish Second and Third Division fixtures have been announced for the 2013/2014 season.
Below you can see the Stranraer, Annan Athletic and Berwick fixtures for the first two weekends of the campaign, Boxing Day and January 2nd matches and the final match of the season.
Scottish Second Division:
- Saturday, 10th August, 2013- Stenhousemuir v. Stranraer
- Saturday, 17th August, 2013- Stranraer v. Rangers
- Thursday, 26th December, 2013- Rangers v. Stranraer
- Thursday, 2nd January, 2014- Stranraer v. Ayr
- Saturday, 3rd May, 2014- Stranraer v. Forfar
Scottish Third Division:
- Saturday, 10th August, 2013- Clyde v. Berwick/ Peterhead v. Annan Athletic
- Saturday, 17th August, 2013- Berwick v. Queen's Park/ Annan Athletic v. Montrose
- Thursday, 26th December, 2013- Queen's Park v. Berwick/ Montrose v. Annan Athletic
- Thursday, 2nd January, 2014- Montrose v. Berwick/ Annan Athletic v. Albion
- Saturday, 3rd May, 2014- Berwick v. Peterhead/ Annan Athletic v. Elgin
