Tuesday 26th September

Tuesday, 26 September 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A Somerset woman, who has Multiple Sclerosis, is calling on the government to overhaul the assessment process for claiming disability benefits. Somerset Council has been fined £1,000 after a stroke patient was left without care for long periods. A Consultant Urologist in Somerset says men need to be made more aware of the early signs of prostate cancer...and more.

A Somerset woman, who has Multiple Sclerosis, is calling on the government to overhaul the assessment process for claiming disability benefits. Ten years after the government brought in Personal Independence Payments or 'PIP' as it is better known. A survey conducted by the MS Society shows that nearly two-thirds of people think going through the PIP process has a negative or very negative impact on them.

Somerset Council has been fined £1,000 after a stroke patient was left without care for long periods. The patient went without care on various dates between May and December 2021 after his provider missed visits and subsequently withdrew their support. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman have ordered Somerset Council to apologise and compensate the man for the distress caused.

A Consultant Urologist in Somerset says men need to be more aware of the early signs of prostate cancer. Over 52,000 males are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK every year. Doctor Jon McFarlane says men who show early signs need to get checked quickly.

Highways officials say repairs to a road connecting Somerset with Devon will be completed before Christmas. Since July 2021, motorists traveling on the A30 between Chard and Yarcombe have been delayed by temporary lights at Crawley Farm. The lights were installed following damage to an embankment caused by a landslip. Work to repair the embankment begins on October 14th with the road reopening at the end of November.

A Chard author has had his first novel published. Garry Sweetland’s book ‘Narcissus’ tells the story of deadly happenings in the world of art. Garry is launching his new book with a party in Chard on Friday, October 6th when an auction will be held to raise money for the Alzheimers Society.

More from News

Thursday 30th October

Bird flu has been found at a nature reserve in Somerset, closing part of it down. St Margaret’s Hospice in Somerset is calling for the hospice sector to be given more central funding. The Barrington Boar in Barrington has been placed 12th in The Good Food Guide’s list of 100 best pubs in Britain... and more
Wednesday 29th October

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a mobile home near Yeovil. Somerset Council is suggesting people turn their pumpkins into soup this Halloween. People in Yeovil have until Sunday to comment on controversial plans to sell off four car parks in the town centre... and more.
Tuesday 28th October

Plans have been submitted to build 12 new homes in Chard. A nursery in Yeovil has been rated ‘overall good' by Ofsted. A Somerset mortgage broker has achieved national recognition. A stretch of the M5 at Wellington will be shut every night this week...and more
Monday 27th October

The Unite union has announced four days of strikes by its members at Leonardo in Yeovil. One of Yeovil’s busiest roads is closed to traffic today. Staff at the Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard raised £3,000 taking part in a Sleeping Ruff challenge at the weekend...and more
Friday 24th October

New figures show that 500 young people were either injured or killed on roads in Somerset and Devon last year. The Old School Community Centre in Queen Camel has reopened, thanks to a donation of £10,000 from Somerset Freemasons. Two Fleet Air Arm engineers based at RNAS Yeovilton have recreated a family moment from 26 years ago...and more
Thursday 23rd October

Yeovil-born actress Sarah Parish is supporting efforts to reopen the Octagon theatre. Mobility scooter campaigners in Somerset have welcomed a government review of the legislation governing the use of mobility scooters on public highways. Changes are being made to the dates when garden waste is collected in Somerset...and more
Wednesday 22nd October

A major house builder in the South West says government targets for new house building in Somerset are 'unrealistic'. Pizza Hut is closing its restaurant in Yeovil. Staff at the Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard will be taking part in a ‘Sleeping Ruff’ challenge tomorrow...and more .
Tuesday 21st October

Reckleford in Yeovil is to shut for 15 days for essential drainage works. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has paid out compensation of £23 million for claims related to birth injuries. A Grade II listed building in Glastonbury has been converted into a health and wellbeing centre...and more