Typhoon Haiyan: Families Search For

Relatives.

Hundreds of relatives of people hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan are travelling across the Philippines to search for lost loved ones.

Many thousands of relatives of those who were hit by the typhoon still have no idea of the fate of their loved ones.

At the ferry terminal in Cebu city, hundreds are queuing to make the hardest of journeys.

Communications on the neighbouring island where their families live are down, the pictures emerging are grim and so the only way they will find out if their families survived is to go.

A woman with an umbrella stands amid the rubble of Tacloban, Leyte

Ramon Gerado Jnr, 46, has made an extraordinary journey to find his family.

Like so many Filipinos, Ramon works abroad. So for three days he travelled from Saudi Arabia, where he is a construction worker.

Aerial shots show the true scale of the Typhoon Haiyan destruction

"I am praying that my family is OK. But still, I am ...." he stops. It all seems too much.

We board the ferry for the two-hour crossing to Leyte Island.

It is packed, and with another storm coming, the sea is rough.

Everyone on board must be thinking the same thing: a mixture of hope and dread.

Some families have been forced to take food from damaged shops

Sitting next to me are two young women. They are in their late teens I would guess, and judging by their appearance they are sisters.

They are not talking. They are deep in thought. They seem far away, staring out of the window at the coastline of their battered homeland.

I decide not to break their thoughts by engaging in conversation, so I can only guess why they are making the journey.

It is pretty obvious though. If they are like the other 99% then they too are making the grim journey to find out the fate of their families.

Worried relatives have travelled to Leyte to look for loved ones

Both are clutching their mobile phones, presumably hoping the brightly-coloured handsets might suddenly defy the lack of signal and ring with good news.

As we arrive at the small city of Ormoc, on Leyte Island, we start to get a sense of the scale of devastation.

The buildings are roofless, the trees that are still standing have been stripped of all their branches. And this is only the beginning of the journey.

It will be many more hours before we get to Ramon's town. "I want everyone to witness what has happened here to my family," he said.

(Credit; Sky News)

Poland: Right-Wing March Turns Violent.

The annual event, held to commemorate Poland's national independence day, breaks down into violence for the third year in a row.

Riot police have fired rubber bullets at groups of masked far-right youths after a nationalist march turned violent in the Polish capital.

Flares were thrown at officers during the trouble

The annual event is held to commemorate Poland's national independence day, and for the third year in a row it broke down into running battles in the middle of Warsaw between rioters and police.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said what should have been a holiday had been ruined by acts of aggression and violence.

"What happened is unacceptable," he said.

Several thousand right-wing protesters began their march peacefully - watched by their own stewards in orange vests and with a police helicopter circling above.

Several thousand right-wing protesters began their march peacefully

The violence started when a few dozen youths, their faces covered by balaclavas and football scarves, broke off from the procession into a side street and started attacking a building where left-wing radicals occupied a squat.

Riot police moved in, and came under attack from youths throwing firecrackers and stones.

The violence underscores the problems in Polish society with many having grown wealthier in the past few years.

The violence started when a few dozen youths attacked building

However, a minority feel alienated and believe traditional values on marriage, abortion and the church have been swept aside.

Polish non-governmental watchdogs say incidents of racially-motivated violence are increasing, while youths shouting far-right slogans have gatecrashed university lecture halls where liberal academics have been speaking.

Before the violence broke out at Monday's march, demonstrators chanted: "God, honour, fatherland!"

One said: "I believe that Polishness is under threat."

(Credit; Sky News)

Action needed to cope with 'soaring demand' for homes

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Chartered surveyors have called for urgent action to cope with "soaring demand" from house buyers.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), also indicated that not enough houses are coming on to the market.

Rics said that "rocketing interest" from potential buyers was "dwarfing" the number of properties for sale.

In the meantime, official figures out later are expected to show UK house prices hitting another record high.

The comments from Rics accompanied the results of its latest monthly survey of its members.

It measured the opinion of 300 chartered surveyors across the country.

In October those reporting price rises outnumbered those reporting no rises by the highest margin since 2002.

Renting

The government's Help to Buy scheme is one reason for that, said Rics.

But it warned that a lack of houses being put up for sale is proving problematic.

"The amount of homes currently up for sale is still nowhere near enough to keep up with demand," said Simon Rubinsohn, the chief economist of Rics.

"In order for the market to function correctly, this imbalance urgently needs to be addressed." he said.

By contrast, the survey shows declining interest from people wanting to rent accommodation.

The proportion of surveyors reporting a rise in interest from potential tenants was at its lowest for a decade.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) out later are expected to show UK house prices at a new record high.

Last month the ONS reported that prices across the country are higher than at any time since the survey began in 1968.

It said prices were rising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but were falling in Scotland.

However, the Land Registry has reported that the average house price in England and Wales is £167,063, which is still 8% below its peak in November 2007.

(Credit; BBC)

Walk-in centre closures 'may worsen A&E crisis'.

Closing walk-in centres may make it harder for people to see GPs - and risks sending more people to A&E, warns healthcare regulator Monitor.

It reviewed the walk-in centre service after the closure of 50 of the 230 in England in the last three years.

Monitor found the centres are popular with the public, but critics fear they can mean duplication of services.

The government said walk-in centres were "one part" of out-of-hours care.

As part of its review, Monitor surveyed just under 1,900 patients at 20 walk-in centres.

When patients were asked where they would have gone if the walk-in centre had not been available, 21% said they would have gone to A&E, while a third would go to their own or a different GP.

The poll also found 22% had tried to contact a GP practice but found no appointment, or none at a convenient time.

And 24% did not even try to contact a GP because they did not think they would get an appointment.

'Paying twice'

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair announced plans to establish the first walk-in centres in 1999.

They provide routine and urgent primary care with no need to pre-book or be registered. Most are GP-led, though some are overseen by nurses.

Private companies, such as Virgin and Care UK, currently run around a sixth of the centres.

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“Start Quote

We need to make sure that the needs of patients are fully considered before decisions are taken”

Catherine DaviesMonitor

The Monitor review found that walk-in centres were more likely to be used by those aged 16-45, with women slightly more likely to attend.

Those that have closed have done so due to concerns they are not helping A&E.

Many contracts for walk-in centres are up for renewal in 2014 and the review found confusion about who should decide on their fate, and said decisions had possibly been put off because of the upheaval in the NHS.

Some commissioners also felt they were "paying twice" for patients, once with the GP they are registered with and a second time for their treatment at the walk-in centre.

But Monitor said there should be careful thought about possible closures.

Catherine Davies, Monitor's executive director of co-operation and competition, said: "We've been told that one in five people would choose to go to an accident and emergency department if the walk-in centre wasn't there for them.

"While it is for commissioners to decide whether to keep a walk-in centre open, we need to make sure that the needs of patients are fully considered before decisions are taken."

The review suggests the payment system to be changed so GPs have more of an incentive to be flexible, providing online or phone consultations, improving receptionist skills, extending hours or offering walk-in appointments.

'Crucial role'

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the British Medical Association's GPs committee, said the association supported walk-in centres where there was a "clear need".

But he said a government requirement for a centre in each - now abolished - primary care trust area meant they were often opened in places with little patient demand.

The London Victoria centre closed in 2011 (Photo credit; BBC)

Dr Nagpaul added: "The result has been a lot of money being spent on these facilities with some now closing because commissioners have found there is not sufficient demand, or that they are not value for money."

He said that at a time of severe financial pressure on the NHS, commissioners had a duty to ensure funding was properly allocated and avoid a duplication of services.

Peter Carter, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "This winter, demands on the health service mean that primary care and the hospital sector need to work together seamlessly and efficiently to stop the service as a whole from buckling.

"Walk-in centres can have a crucial role in plugging this gap."

Health minister Lord Howe said: "Patients should be able to access good quality out-of-hours NHS services, without having to go to an A&E.

"Walk-in centres may be part of the answer but this isn't a one-size-fits-all solution."

But Andy Burnham, the shadow health secretary, said: "People need services and support seven days a week and that is why the last government introduced NHS Direct and walk-in centres.

"The decision to dismantle them is one of this government's worst acts of vandalism and patients are paying the price."

(Credit; BBC)

Flybe to cut 500 jobs despite return to profit.

Flybe, the Exeter-based airline, has announced plans to cut 500 jobs across the business, despite reporting a return to profit.

Pre-tax profits were £13.8m for the six months to 30 September, compared with a loss of £1.6m a year earlier.

The company said its turnaround plan was on track to make £40m of savings this year and £45m in 2014-15.

But the pilot's union, Balpa, said it was "shocked" by the decision to cut jobs. Flybe employs 2,700 staff.

'Challenging times'

Flybe chief executive Saad Hammad, who joined the company in August, told the BBC he could not say where the job losses would fall at this stage.

"We're consulting with unions and our staff," he said.

Flybe cut 490 jobs in 2012-13, with a further 100 going in the first half of 2013-14.

As part of the cost-cutting programme some routes could "possibly" go, Mr Hammad said. "These are challenging times," he added.

Group revenues rose to £351.1m in the six months, up from £340.8m in the same period last year.

The carrier now has 96 aircraft in its fleet, with 28 belonging to Flybe Finland, its joint venture with Finnish Air.

Passenger numbers increased 5.6% to 4.3 million in the first half of the year.

(Credit; BBC)

Armistice Day to be marked in the UK with silence

The anniversary of the World War One armistice 95 years ago is to be marked in the UK with a two-minute silence.

Ceremonies will take place at military bases, churches, schools, town halls and at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire at 11:00 GMT.

And armed forces charity the Royal British Legion is holding its annual 11 November event in Trafalgar Square.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh will visit Belgium, where some of the war's most deadly battles were fought.

Armistice Day, which honours personnel who have died since WW1, this year comes a day after Remembrance Sunday.

On Sunday, two-minute silences took place at war memorials across the UK and Commonwealth, in tribute to fallen members of the armed forces.

In London, the Queen and other members of the Royal Family laid the first wreaths at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, before a march-past by 10,000 military veterans and civilian representatives.

Emotional reunion

On Armistice Day, the country will again be asked to pause in memory of those who have served and died for Britain.

The silence takes place at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month - the time the guns fell silent along the Western front in 1918, and an armistice was declared.

It was first observed in November 1919 following a suggestion by an Australian journalist. The proposal was supported by a former high commissioner to South Africa and endorsed by the cabinet and King George V just a few days before the first anniversary of the armistice.

The Royal British Legion says traffic around Trafalgar Square will be paused at 11:00 GMT during its sixth Silence in the Square ceremony.

This event ends with members of the public placing poppy petals into the square's fountains.

Prince Philip's visit to Belgium is his first outside the UK since undergoing abdominal surgery in June.

The 92-year-old will visit Ypres and lay a poppy wreath to commemorate members of the armed forces who died fighting in all conflicts since WW1.

The Poppy Girls, five schoolgirls aged between 10 and 17 whose fathers are all servicemen, will perform their song The Call (No Need To Say Goodbye) during the Trafalgar Square event.

The Royal British Legion event will end with poppy petals being placed in Trafalgar Square's fountains             Photo supplied by the BBC

Their song was released on Saturday as part of this year's poppy appeal by the Royal British Legion.

The Poppy Girls performed their single on Saturday in front of the Queen at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.

There was an emotional surprise reunion for Megan Adams, 10, from Stirling, one of the members of the group. She had not been expecting to see her father, Lt Cdr Billy Adams, for another three months but they were reunited on stage amid applause from the audience.

The actor Adrian Lester and Britain's Got Talent winner Paul Potts will also be making an appearance at the Silence in the Square event. 

(Credit; BBC)

Maternity Negligence Cover: NHS Spends £482m.

'The total cost of insurance against malpractice comes to £482m - almost a fifth of all spending on maternity, it is revealed.'

'A fifth of maternity services funding is spent on insurance against malpractice, according to a review by the National Audit Office (NAO) Sky News reports.

The report found the NHS in England spent £482m on clinical negligence cover in the last year - the equivalent of £700 per birth.

The most common reasons for maternity claims are mistakes during labour or caesarean sections and errors resulting in cerebral palsy, the review said.

Public Accounts Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge said the figures were "absolutely scandalous".

"The current system is not working as it should," she said.

"The Department of Health needs to buck up and take responsibility for this.

"It needs to review its monitoring and reporting process to ensure that all relevant bodies can work effectively together to deliver maternity services that are value for money and fit for purpose."

The report also highlights a shortage of midwives and consultants on labour wards.

During 2012 there was a shortfall of around 2,300 midwives, the authors said.

More than half of units were not meeting the levels of consultant presence recommended by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Between April and September 2012, more than a quarter (28%) of maternity units were forced to close their doors to patients for at least half a day because of a lack of space or a shortage of midwives.

Of these units, 11% closed for the equivalent of a fortnight or more, the report found.

Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "We are many thousands of midwives short of the number needed to deliver safe, high-quality care.

"Births are at a 40-year high and other figures out this week show that this is set to continue.

"As the report states, births are also becoming increasingly complex putting even more demands on midwives and maternity services."

She added: "The cost of litigation payments in maternity can be enormous.

"What this shows is that you cannot get safe, high-quality maternity services on the cheap because it will cost much more in the long run."

Minister for Health and Maternity Dr Dan Poulter said: "We have always recognised the need for greater investment in midwives and maternity units.

"The NHS now has over 1,300 more midwives since May 2010 and there are a record 5,000 more in training."

But Labour's shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "David Cameron promised thousands more midwives, but he's failing to deliver them.

"Across England, too many maternity units are operating without enough staff - unable to keep up with demand - whilst others are facing closure or downgrading."

The NAO report also highlights a "wide unexplained variation" in complication rates between hospitals.

In some hospitals up to 1.6% of women are readmitted as an emergency after having a baby, compared to 0.5% in others.

Infection rates in newborns range from 0.6% of babies born in some hospitals, while the figure is as high as 4.2% of babies born in others.

The authors also said more needs to be done to address the number of stillbirths in England.

The report points out that in 2011, one in 133 babies was stillborn or died within several days of birth.

The mortality rate has fallen over time, but comparisons with the other UK nations suggest scope for further improvement.

On the number of stillbirths in England, the minister said: "The death of a child is always a tragedy and has a devastating impact on the whole family.

"We are working closely with the charity Sands and the NHS on ways to raise awareness about stillbirth with women and NHS staff."

Dr David Richmond, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "Although the UK is generally a safe place for women to give birth, we have known for some time that pressure on maternity services is growing in some areas particularly inner city conurbations placing stress on clinicians, managers and patients alike.'

"More consultants are needed to deal with not only the rapidly increasing birth rate but the rise in complex pregnancies, with older mothers, maternal obesity and multiple pregnancies at the fore."