Police have issued warnings about online criminals in a two-week campaign to help prevent cyber crime.

Lancashire Police teamed up with Action Fraud UK to help spread awareness about online fraud.

Simple changes to online browsing habits, such as keeping an anti-virus programme active, changing passwords regularly, and avoiding strangers on social media can make all the difference in preventing internet fraud.

People are also encouraged to be careful about dating websites and to never give out money or bank account details to people they meet on the internet, as dating websites rarely background-check their users, and frauds often see people looking for love online as easy targets.

A storm forecast to batter the UK with gusts of more than 80mph on Thursday night has been named Abigail today as the first in the Met Office’s Name Our Storms project.

Abigail was chosen by the public as part of a scheme to raise awareness of severe weather to help improve safety.

It said the severe south-westerly gales risked disrupting transport and large waves battering coasts.

Gusts of 60-70mph are likely, and more than 80mph in exposed locations.

The warning area covers the Highlands and Islands, the west coast north from Islay, and northern Aberdeenshire. However, Northern England and Wales can expect isolated wind gusts to 85 km/h (50 mph) late Thursday afternoon into Thursday night before subsiding on Friday.

A Met Office spokesman said: “A vigorous depression is expected to pass just to the north west of Scotland on Thursday night, bringing a swathe of very strong winds on its eastern and southern flanks.”

Chief meteorologist Eddy Carroll added: “There remains some uncertainty regarding the exact extent and timing of strongest winds, but current forecasts suggest this storm could have some medium impacts such as disruption to transport, and so a warning has been issued and the first storm has been named as Abigail.”

Rainfall through Friday will be 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) from western Ireland to Western Scotland and also in northwest Wales and coastal northern England. While flooding is not expected to be a widespread concern, isolated flooding is possible.

Ahead of this storm, there will be gusty showers across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and northern England on Wednesday. Even with showers in the forecast, abnormal warmth will continue with high temperatures ranging from 12-16 C (53-60 F).

The other names chosen for storms are Barney, Clodagh, Desmond, Eva, Frank, Gertrude, Henry, Imogen, Jake, Katie, Lawrence, Mary, Nigel, Orla, Phil, Rhonda, Steve, Tegan, Vernon and Wendy.

RABBIT owners are being urged to check their pets after a shortage of a vital vaccine could increase the risk of the deadly disease myxomatosis.

Gilmore Veterinary Surgery in Standish, Lancashire, has warned residents to contact their local practice as soon as possible if a vaccination is needed after it was confirmed there is a major shortage of the life-saving dose.

Myxomatosis is a distressing disease which can condemn rabbits to a long, drawn out death.

Rabbits’ eyes swell up so they can’t see and they end up blind, they also become hypothermic. Other symptoms include swelling, difficulties in breathing and discharge from nose and eyes.

It can also take up to two weeks for the animal to die and there is no known cure.

But despite lack of the vaccine, staff promised to try and help make arrangements for all owners.

It has, controversially, been deliberateley introduced among wild rabbits in the past to effect a cull.

Vet George Reitze of Gilmore’s said: “Myxomatosis is usually contracted from rabbits being bitten by fleas or mosquitos.

“Thankfully this season there is a lower risk as there aren’t as many insects so you see a drop in the numbers of those rabbits diagnosed.

“You tend to see cases of the disease come in waves.

“There’s usually a spike of those diagnosed every three years and then it goes away.

“It tends to be mainly wild rabbits and as they die from the disease, the numbers fall. Then when the population grows again, the disease comes back with a vengence.

“Due to the shortage of the vaccine we have unfortunately run out but are due some in towards the end of November.

“However we will strive to do our best for those rabbit owners who knows their pet is due a vaccine.

“We really want to warn owners the importance about this deadly disease and to get the message out there that vaccination is vital.

“And not only does the vaccine protect against myxomatosis but is also protects against the highly contageous Rabbit Viral Hemorrhagic Disease (VHD).

“People need to get in touch with their local practice to see if there is any vaccines in stock in order to stop the heartbreak of losing their pets in such horrific circumstances.

“This vaccine is in very limited supply, but there is no alternative vaccine available.

“It’s essential that rabbit owners pre-book for these appointments to ensure we have the vaccine available.

“If there are a number of pets needing the dose we will treat accordingly.”

Vaccines usually come in single dose vials, but due to the national shortage the manufacturers are having to import the vaccine from France.

Both myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease are viral illnesses which can be spread by insect bites.

It’s estimated there are 1.3 million rabbits kept as pets in the U.K. and levels of rabbit ownership are increasing.

It has been some time since I threw my hands in the air like I just don’t care and boogied the whole night away without a concern in the world.

Not of course that I don’t have groovy moves spanning several decades and trends (including 90s trance hand waving and the lambada) available at the shake of my tail feathers, but I’m of the encroaching age and persuasion to look for a nice, comfy, (preferably brown squishy leather) sofa from where I can safely scan the dancefloor for embarrassing middle aged mum and dad dancing suitable for filming and putting on YouTube.

Also, my feet would hurt.

That saying, I am not the last person on the dance floor - but I’m definitely not the first unless my prosecco/gin&tonic to sensible cup of tea ration is 70:1

Which mainly occurs at weddings.

And work dos when I have made the fatal decision not to drive but instead summon one of my taxis.

Never a wise move when you have to look your colleagues in the face shortly afterwards.

So with the festive season rolling towards us at the speed of a Coca Cola advertising truck towards a sign for Pepsi, I need to up my game.

Unless I turn down all the invitations for sensible meals which we all know will end up as random evenings featuring glittery accessories, paper hats and competitive cocktail drinking at the cheapest joint in town, I must both physically and psychologically prepare myself.

I must be ready for evenings where I must not only stand up all night but also appear a good sport in consumption of multi-coloured watered down drinks named after exotic fruits.

And staying out after 9pm.

This requires training.

First I must undertake the terrible task of bringing my drinking skills up to par.

So I’m taking one or two for the team (glasses of wine) with greater frequency and thanks to the newsroom supply of free food for testing purposes, I’m also getting in practice with the festive cakes and mince pies.

I’m also resting my feet up on the sofa ahead of tortuous incidents of standing up plus rehearsing anaesthetising them with the odd G&T.

Groovy.

Budget supermarket chain Lidl UK has issued a product recall for its Italiamo Italian Style Chicken Thighs ready meal.

The recall, which Lidl advises is due to a supplier labelling error, affects all Italiamo Italian Style Chicken Thighs, 450g packages with a use by date of 16 December 2016. The European chain insists no other products from the Italiamo range are affected, nor are packages marked with other use by dates.

Customers who have purchased this product are advised to return it to a Lidl UK store for a full refund.

Lidl launched in the UK in 1994 and has since grown to become a major influencer of British consumer habits along with main competitor Aldi. Lidl has more than 600 units in the UK.

THOUSANDS of people could be risking their health by not coming forward to have the flu vaccine, doctors have warned.

Surgery fridges are full of unused doses, some GPs have said, as fewer patients are choosing to be immunised, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) said.

Six per cent fewer injections have been given this year compared to the same period last year, as surgeries in England have vaccinated 100 fewer patients per practice, the report in conjunction with Public Health England said.

The figures are “alarming”, the RCGP chairwoman Dr Maureen Baker said as she urged patients, especially those in at-risk groups such as the elderly, pregnant women and people with long-term health conditions, not to “shun” the jab.

Doctors suggested there could be a perception that the vaccine had not been very effective last year, deterring people from having it.

Professor Simon de Lusignan, Director of the RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre, described the effectiveness of the 2014 round of vaccinations as “reasonable”.

GPs also said unseasonably warm temperatures may be putting people off being vaccinated, but warned that cold weather does not always contribute to flu outbreaks.

Prof de Lusignan, who is also a GP, said: “In my practice, we appear to be giving fewer vaccines and have now slowed the ordering of vaccines because our fridges are full.

“The College’s ‘surveillance’ practices are seeing similar results. We took a snapshot of 101 practices and overall they reported an average (median) reduction of 106 fewer vaccines compared with the same period last year.

“The reasons for this are unclear, but it is possible that perceptions of lower vaccine effectiveness last year may have influenced people.

Dr Baker added: “These figures are extremely alarming. We are experiencing an incredibly mild November this year but we don’t need cold weather for a flu outbreak and influenza is a horrible illness that can also an trigger a host of other health problems.

“We urge patients not to shun the reminders they receive from the GP surgery and to have their vaccination as a priority.

“It provides valuable protection and plays a key role in keeping vulnerable people as healthy as possible through the winter.”

The last flu pandemic was in 2009.

HM Revenue and Customs has announced a sweeping programme of closures for all its local offices, with the expected loss of thousands of jobs.

Three of Preston's offices will be closed, and the remaining three will be transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions.

The move will affect more than 2,000 employees in Preston.

Blackpool's office will also be transferred to the DWP, and the Blackburn office will close.

It is part of a national programme to close all 170 local tax offices and replace them with regional centres.

Liverpool and Manchester will be the locations for the North West regional offices, which are expected to open by 2018.

Lin Homer, HMRC’s Chief Executive, said: “HMRC has too many expensive, isolated and outdated offices. This makes it difficult for us to collaborate, modernise our ways of working, and make the changes we need to transform our service to customers and clamp down further on the minority who try to cheat the system.

“The new regional centres in Liverpool and Manchester will bring our staff together in more modern and cost-effective buildings in areas with lower rents. They will also make a big contribution to the economy of the North West region providing high-quality, skilled jobs and supporting the Government’s commitment to a national recovery that benefits all parts of the UK.”

Today is the day many superstitious people will have been dreading ... yes it’s Friday the 13th.

For years this date has been considered unlucky and if something bad has happened to you on this day, it has more often than not, been blamed on it being ‘Friday the 13th’.

Did you know there is even a name given to having a fear of this particular date? The term is known as friggatriskaidekaphobia...

There are many reasons why people associate bad luck or feeling with Friday the 13th.

For example, some hold that 12 is a complete number – there are 12 signs of the Zodiac, 12 tribes of Israel... – so 13, one over, is considered unlucky.

Some even believe that if 13 people sit down to dinner, one will surely die (this is thought to originate from the Last Supper of Christ when Judas — one of Jesus’ 12 apostles — arrived as the 13th guest to the Last Supper. The next morning, it was Judas who betrayed Jesus, leading to his arrest and crucifixion.)

Here are a just a few events, which date back hundreds of years, and reasons why Friday the 13th has a reputation for bad luck:

On Friday, October 13th, 1307, thousands of Crusades warriors were imprisoned.

Members of the Knights Templar were accused of heresy, blasphemy and homosexuality. Many later died from torture, carried out by officers of the French King Philip IV.

In 1539, on August, Friday the 13th, the Aztecs killed 39,000 in one day.

Hammurabi’s Code, the first set of state initiated laws, leaves out the number 13, leading many to believe the superstition dates back to Babylon in 1700 BC.

Meanwhile, Friday used to be known as ‘hanging day’ as it was customary to execute criminals on this day.

There were 13 steps up to the scaffold, 13 turns in a hangman’s noose and 13 pence and a halfpenny paid to the hangman.

In 1881, a group of New Yorkers started The 13 Club, in an attempt to remove the superstitious stigma from the number.

However, at their first meeting on Friday the 13th, all thirteen members walked under a ladder into a room filled spilled salt and broken mirrors.

They all died in a freak accident involving a runaway truck.

Also did you know that most skyscrapers do not include a thirteenth floor?

An incident in New York highlights the reason why. Gregory Johnson bravely included a thirteenth floor in his designs for the Empire State Building in the Big Apple.

However, just three days after it was finished, on a Friday, the weight of the building caused it to crumble and it crushed the thirteenth floor. It has been structurally sound ever since...

The Nazis dropped a bomb on Buckingham Palace on Friday the 13th in September 1940, as part of the Blitz during World War II. Members of the Royal family were apparently taking tea at the time.

On Friday, June 13th, 1952, Massachusetts Governor Kyle McArthur banned all private automotive transportation on the unlucky day. Yet despite the ban, nine overcrowded city buses crashed into each other in downtown Boston.

And on Friday the 13th, October 1972, a plane crashed in the Andes. Twelve people died instantly and more were killed in an avalanche later. Those who survived did so by resorting to cannibalism. The crash was later the subject of the film, “Alive.”

Given the evidence above, perhaps it would be wise to stay indoors today, until midnight at least!

A 46-year-old Fleetwood man failed to give a specimen of urine after he was arrested for drink driving.

A taxi driver reported Thomas Houton of Heathfield Road, to police after they had rowed in the car park of the Castle Gardens public house.

Houton was found guilty after a trial in his absence at Blackpool Magistrates Court.

Jim Mowbray, prosecuting, said police suspected Houton was under the influence of drink or drugs.
Two breath tests were negative and a doctor was unable to take a blood test.

Houton was given coffee and water to try and produce a urine test but he failed to do so

He appeared for the sentencing of his case and was banned from the roads for a year. He was fined £180 and ordered to pay £580 court costs.

Everyone has a point of view, Barry Took could tell you that. A way of looking at the world, and the people in it, that is unique to us.

Watching the TV, for instance, we shout our opinions at the telly, instruct the characters in a horror movie not to go down into the basement, scoff at someone putting their fondant icing in the oven, when we all know it should go in the fridge.

And you know, from your point of view, that you would never hit on your mate’s girlfriend, then break up that mate’s relationship, not speak to that friend for six months, then – when you’re desperate for new digs – wrap your mate’s new flatmate in his sleeping bag, waterboard him with a can of beer, then dump him in a lift.

From Jeremy’s point of view in Peep Show (Channel 4, Wednesdays, 10pm), however, all this is perfectly reasonable.

It’s the last series of Peep Show, and the previous eight have been consistently among the funniest things on TV, each episode seen from the points of view of feckless, wannabe ‘artist’ Jeremy (Robert Webb) and staid, stick-in-the-mud Mark (David Mitchell), who always tries to do the right thing, only to end up doing exactly the opposite.

This week’s first episode saw the pals finally reconciling with the help of Super Hans, their irredeemably drug-addled friend.

Even trying to stay sober on his own stag do, Super Hans ended up drunk in the toilets of the local boozer, singing filthy songs and begging Jeremy to find him some drugs.

Peep Show is filthy, scatalogical, sometimes childish, but always very funny. Underneath all that, maybe it also has a believable relationship – Mark and Jeremy, though they may not admit it, actually like each other, and have found a proper friendship.

A friendship that’s sometimes uncomfortable, or messy, or broken, but that’s what friendships are like, and it’s what elevates the show.

Another believable friendship is on show Detectorists (BBC4, Thursdays, 10pm). A sitcom that is calmer, lower-key, it has a charm and warmth that shines.

Police became suspicious when they saw a support worker speeding and stopped her.

Angela Bradley was then found to be over the alcohol limit.

Bradley, 52, of Breck Road, Poulton, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police saw Bradley at the wheel of a Range Rover driving at excess speed along Redcar Avenue, Thornton, on October 24 at 2.20am

A breath test showed 43 microgrammes of alcohol in her body – 35 is the limit.

Gerry Coyle, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, would lose her job as the result of the conviction.

Bradley was banned from the road for 14 months, fined £390 with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £150 court charge plus £39 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

A garage owner was over the alcohol limit when he was stopped by police.

Lee Woodies, 42, of Custom House Lane, Fleetwood, admitted drink-driving.

He was banned for 14 months, fined £250 with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £150 court charge with £25 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police stopped Woodies on October 25, at 1.10am, after seeing him drive a Vauxhall Golf on Penrith Avenue, Cleveleys.

A breath test showed 52 microgrammes of alcohol – 35 is the limit.

Gerry Coyle, defending, said his client had been working until 10pm. He then got a call asking him to pop into a party where he drank two or three shandies.

He said it was a devastating mistake because Woodies had to take customers cars to and from his garage.

WARNINGS have been issued over pressures mounting on Lancashire’s health services in the run up to winter.

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) Director of Operations, Derek Cartwright, said the Trust is facing a huge challenge to meet the eight minute response time after a 25 per cent increase in ‘Red’ calls this year – for those who have a life-threatening or potentially life-threatening conditions.

He also admitted people in pain with minor injuries might have to wait “some time” for an ambulance response, and is relying on volunteer groups to provide support during periods of high activity.

His concerns come as latest data from NHS England showed in September the health service nationally missed its A&E target to see, treat or discharge 95 per cent of patients within four hours.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble Hospitals, achieved only 89.7 per cent and its chief executive has warned of further possible delays during busy spells.

Now Lancashire residents are being asked to do their bit in helping the services as the traditionally busiest time of the year approaches.

Mr Cartwright of NWAS said: “In previous years we used to see a peak of calls in the winter and this would then drop in the warmer months before starting to climb again as we approached December.

“This is no longer the case. We consistently see high levels of life-threatening 999 calls throughout the year so instead of dropping in the summer, it stays the same and then increases even further in the following winter.”

The Trust said it can’t explain the change. Mr Cartwright added: “We regularly publish the message asking the public to use us wisely and only in emergency situations and we’re very grateful to those who heed that message, but the non-urgent calls are not rising in the same way as the extremely urgent calls – those that do need an emergency ambulance response.

“This is by no means unique to NWAS , our ambulance colleagues around the country are seeing similar growth and we have to accept that this is unlikely to change and instead, change the way we operate so we can meet this demand.”

NWAS admits a national shortage of paramedics and changes to training of new staff has had an impact on staff resources, but filling vacancies has been one of its priorities during 2015 and since April, 186 road staff and 52 call centre staff have been appointed.

The Trust also recently announced a change to allow easier internal progression for Emergency Medical Technicians to become paramedics.

The Trust has also made changes to the triaging of 999 calls and claims improvements made to the organisation’s clinical structure has meant more people can be either treated at home or can be directed to a more appropriate healthcare service such as a walk-in or GP led centre.

Community Specialist Paramedics are also placed in areas where performance has been challenging, and there is a dedicated Frequent Caller team.

Mr Cartwright added: “The ambulance service has come a long way from the ‘scoop and run’ service it started out as.

“Clinical skills have vastly improved and we work much more closely with other support services, as the more help a person with long term conditions receives, the less likely they are to need an emergency ambulance.

“It is true that some patients, with minor conditions or injuries, while they might be in some degree of pain or discomfort, will have to wait some time for an ambulance response or will be advised on a more appropriate pathway of care, as we must prioritise our resources and send ambulances first to those potentially life-threatening conditions.”

Approximately half of the 999 calls received by NWAS are not classed as immediately or potentially life-threatening, and a proportion of these are referred to other services or can wait up to four hours for an ambulance response.

Mr Cartwright said: “Our priority will always be those in dire, urgent need, due to having only a finite number of resources, it has to be, but we need the public to help us to help them.

“If an ambulance crew attends to someone with a painful ankle injury – it can’t go to someone who in the meantime, has stopped breathing.”

To help with winter pressures, 16 additional ambulances and 19 rapid response vehicles have gone on the road and volunteer groups such as the Red Cross and St John Ambulance are providing support during periods of high activity.

“It is a circular challenge,” said Mr Cartwright.

“Our life-threatening calls rise, so we attend to and take more people to hospital, this results in a busy, pressured emergency department, which means our handover times can take longer and therefore we can’t get back on the road quickly enough to respond to waiting 999 patients.

“We work very closely with our Commissioners and NHS colleagues to tackle this and the introduction of Ambulance Liaison Officers in hospitals goes some way to help alleviate this pressure.”

Karen Partington, chief executive of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Our staff are already working hard to make sure we see and treat patients who need urgent care promptly, and that people receive their planned procedures on time. 

“Whilst we put additional resources in place in readiness for the winter period, it is likely that patients will experience some delays during exceptionally busy spells. 

“Families can support us to make sure we can admit and treat patients with urgent care needs, by working with us to ensure we can discharge people when they no longer need specialist hospital services.  We also urge people to stay well this winter by getting their flu jab, taking medicines as prescribed, keeping warm, and making sure repeat prescriptions are organised for the Christmas period.”

Helen Curtis, head of quality and performance at NHS Chorley and South Ribble, and NHS Greater Preston Clinical Commissioning Groups said: “Whilst there are a number of initiatives in place that are helping, we really need the public to help us by using other NHS services. A&E is there to deal with real emergencies and saving lives.”

There could be more misery in store for people living in areas affected by the weekend’s heavy rainfall, as Sunday’s unsettled weather looks set to continue.

The Environment Agency, NRW and SEPA are concerned additional rainfall on already saturated ground could lead to more flooding and the public are advised to keep up to date with the latest flood warnings from the Met Office.

Sunday’s heavy rainfall heralds the start of an unsettled week as a series of low pressure systems are expected to move across the country. The first will arrive late Monday before another brings stronger winds and rain on Tuesday. There will be further bad weather as yet another system brings rain on Wednesday.

Neil Davies, Environment Agency flood risk duty manager, warned of the risk of flooding to already saturated ground: “Further heavy, persistent rain is expected into Monday and river levels remain extremely high and are continuing to rise in places.”

National Severe Weather Warnings have been issued for wind and rain this week, with gusts of up to 75mph expected to batter northern Scotland, up to 60mm of rain expected over parts of northern England on Tuesday and further heavy rain on Wednesday.

Temperatures are set to plummet toward the end of this week as winds turn northerly, bringing a mixture of sunshine and blustery showers. The showers could fall as snow over higher parts of Scotland and northern England

A hotel worker stalked a waitress he fell for when they worked together.

Paul Lincoln bombarded the woman with messages on Facebook and Twitter sometimes sending up to 100 a day.

Despite telling him to leave her alone and blocking him on the social networking sites Lincoln continued to post messages such as “can I lick you all night?” “I think you’re lovely” and “it makes me cry to think of you.”

Lincoln, 33, of Dodgeons Close, Poulton, pleaded guilty to harassing the woman between December last year and October this year.

He was sentenced to a four weeks curfew from 9pm to 6am, ordered to pay £85 costs with £60 victims’ surcharge and put on a 12 months restraining order which bans him from contacting the woman by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Philip Hall, said in December last year the woman complained about unwanted attention she was getting from Lincoln and police issued him with a harassment warning,

Mr Hall said: “The defendant continued to send messages to her.

“The victim said he would send up to 100 a day. Some of the messages were of a sexual nature.”

Brett Chapell, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had worked in the kitchen and the woman had been a waitress at the resort’s De Vere Hotel. They had been friends but Lincoln wanted more.

Lincoln had then left work to care for his father who was extremely ill. He messaged the woman because he felt lonely and trapped sat in with his father every day.

The messages he sent were not threatening or violent. He had now seen his GP and been referred to a counsellor.

Lytham Hall is to host its first Parkrun – the free running event for people of all abilities.

The 5k running event is organised and staged by volunteers and will take place in the grounds of the Grade I-listed Georgian hall, off Ballam Road, on Saturday, November 28 at 9am. It will run weekly thereafter.

The Parkrun ethos is that is doesn’t matter how fast you are, or what you’re wearing. The event is open to all, from people wishing to run with children or dogs, to those who wish to set a personal best.

Race director, Kirsten Burnett said: “We cannot wait to start building a Parkrun community.

“Parkrun supports and encourages runners from all levels and abilities.”

Log onto www.parkrun.org.uk/lythamhall/ to register your details and print off a barcode to take along and record your time.

Hospital inspectors visiting Lancashire spent more than £50,000 on hotels, travel and meals, an investigation has found.

Teams from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) spent £4.4m on travel and subsistence in 2014/15 against budget of £1.1m as they visited hospitals across the country.

The CQC said the overspend was due to the fact the budget was based on a previous, ‘lighter touch’ inspection regime.

The figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) show that up to £80,000 was spent on accommodation during a single inspection.

In some cases, more than 100 inspectors attended one visit. In total, £921,279.98 was spent on hotels in 2014/15 for 36 inspections.

The biggest spending was for Dorset Healthcare University Foundation Trust, where 118 inspectors were accommodated at two hotels over five days for £80,837.

Hotel spend was more than £50,000 for four other inspections: Imperial College Healthcare Trust, Hertfordshire Partnership University Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospitals Foundation Trust, and Lancashire Care Foundation Trust.

A statement from the CQC said: “As CQC regulates health and adult social care services across England, it is necessary for its inspection teams to have to travel and, on occasion, to stay in overnight accommodation.

“CQC’s ‘new-style’ inspections involve larger teams, including specialist inspectors, experts in the field, and members of the public who represent the views of people who use services.

“They last longer so that more time can be spent in observing the care that is being delivered, in speaking to both people who use services and health and social care professionals, and in feeding back initial findings to the providers so that improvements can be made quickly. We are constantly improving how we work, and we are committed to being an efficient and effective regulator.”

For the first time ever patients who are considered to be in an ‘at risk’ group can get their free flu jab at a local pharmacy.

The new initiative aims to help make it easier for patients to get vaccinated.

Patients are usually invited to their GP practice and one of its flu clinics for the jab.

But new measures have been put in place to try to tackle a lack of uptake with vaccination rates remaining roughly the same over a number of years and the NHS is some 25% short of its vaccination targets.

Apart from the over 65s, flu vaccination rates tend to fluctuate between 40% and 50%. The aim is to vaccinate 75% of those considered to be “at risk”.

Having the flu jab helps protect the vulnerable and those around them. A statement warned: “Flu can be really serious if caught by those who have compromised health.

“It’s really important those who are invited to have the free jab take the time to do so.”

It is hoped that offering the vaccination at pharmacies will make it more convenient and encourage uptake.

Who is ‘at risk’?

Those considered “at risk” are those over 65 or anyone who has a long-term health condition such as diabetes, COPD or heart problems.

“At risk” means that, should you catch flu, your condition makes it harder for your body to fight the infection, you’ll take longer to recover and it can sometimes have severe and occasionally fatal consequences.

Pregnant woman are also considered “at risk”. This is because pregnancy changes a woman’s immune system, heart and lungs and so they can be more prone to serious illness should they get flu. It also offers protection to the unborn baby.

Carers that receive Carers Allowance can also inquire about the free jab. It helps protect them and the people they care for.

An NHS spokesman said: “Flu isn’t like a common cold. Those that are usually fit and healthy can take up to a month to fully recover. It’s a really nasty illness so you need to do everything you can to protect yourself.”

If you’re in an ‘at risk’ group and haven’t yet had your jab, you can now ask at your local pharmacy to see if they are offering the free NHS vaccination.

You will need to take your invitation letter from your GP practice with you and the pharmacist will do all the paperwork to let your GP know you’ve had it.

You can also protect yourself against flu by following these steps:

Adopting good hand hygiene. Touching things not only spreads, but picks up germs, too. And this is the most common way to pick up germs. Wash hands regularly using soap and water, and always make sure your hands are dried thoroughly after washing. Achoo! Cough or sneeze into a tissue, put it in the bin and wash your hands to stop the spread of germs. Don’t keep used tissues; you’re just carrying the germs around. It really is that simple.

You don’t have to be in an “at risk” group to have a flu jab. Many pharmacies offer the vaccination for a fee.

For more information about how to stay well this winter, visit {http://www.nhs.uk/staywell|www.nhs.uk/staywell}

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Have your say below

A TERMINALLY ill boy is hoping for a sackload of festive cards in a bid to make what could be his last Christmas special.

When friends heard that nine-year-old Layton Robinson-Bancroft, who has mitochondrial disease, was going to spend potentially his final Christmas in a new house which was adapted for his needs, but not fully furnished or decorated, they set up an appeal for as many seasonal cards to cheer him up.

His mum, Stacey Burtonwood, 30, of Golborne, said: “Layton has damage to two parts of his brain that could stop him breathing at any point, so he was given anything up to a month to two years when he was diagnosed last Christmas. But he is deteriorating now and has seizures. He doesn’t even remember his name at times. We have had to keep him off school for a bit as he is so bad. So we want to make Layton’s Christmas as special as possible.

“When friends found out we were moving into a more suitable rented house with a wet room for Layton, they wanted to help raise funds to decorate his room. They realised I was disheartened about Christmas as we were moving into a new house with nothing in it and so came up with the idea to send Christmas cards to Layton and put it out on Facebook.

“He loves getting mail. Someone sent him a Manchester United shirt through the post and he was delighted with that. Imagine how he would be if he gets loads of Christmas cards. My two youngest children, Tillie, four, and Logan, two, are too young to understand that Layton is ill, but my eldest, Tyrese, 11, has been badly affected, but he is really excited by this appeal.”

The Facebook post about the Christmas cards has reached thousands of people, as far as Canada and New Zealand,

Stacey added: “It is overwhelming - I can’t believe it. Layton will be over the moon. Everyone has been really supportive. The Golborne community, as well as charity React, is helping us out with getting the house ready.

“My friend, Sarah Hawkins has set up a Facebook page to raise money and another pal, Natasha Greenwood is shaving her head.”

People can send Christmas cards to 35 Church St, Golborne, Warrington, WA3 3TP or 70 Heath St, Golborne, Warrington, WA3 3DL.

The plight of Lancashire’s cash-strapped County Council could mean outside agencies or residents taking over or helping to run certain services.

The council, which this week revealed proposals for a further £65m cuts, has already suggested community groups and organisations may wish to look at running threatened local bus services.

Now the leader of the Liberal Democrat group Coun Bill Winlow has suggested wildlife organisations or the National Trust could help if, as proposed, the council’s entire Countryside Service is axed – a move which would affect facilities such as Beacon Fell, near Preston and Wycoller Country Park.

Meanwhile Labour council leader Coun Jennifer Mein, said there could be a role forvoluntary organisations to help keep open five closure threatened museums - including the Museum of Lancashire in Preston.

She said: “We’re consulting, if people can come forward we’re very happy to talk to them and assist them.”

But the council has also warned that if its remaining museums, including Lancaster Castle, don’t pay their way, they could be handed back to their owners, with the exception of Gawthorpe Hall which is leased from the National Trust.

County Coun Geoff Driver, leader of the Conservative group on the Council, accused the Labour group of cutting the wrong services and taking “panic measures”.

He said: “I’m very, very disappointed that they seem to making cuts which have a significant impact on many vulnerable people in Lancashire. With a little more foresight they could could have avoided many of these cuts.”

Particular concerns were library cuts and scrapping free transport to day care centres for the elderly and vulnerable. But he welcomed news that the council was “reinstating” its lollipop patrol budget, opting for “prudential borrowing” and good repayment terms. And he had a blunt message for the ruling Labour group: “We won’t be supporting a lot of them (the cuts).”

Labour will be looking to the Liberal Democrat acouncillors for support when its cabinet meets on November 26 to debate savage cuts ranging from closing 40 libraries to chopping £2.8m from the highways budget.

Coun Winlow said his group was considering the cuts package and a priority would be to protect social care

He said: “These cuts are far deeper and far worse than they should ever have been. They are being done for purely dogmatic purposes by the Conservative party and Government. Not a single one of us wishes these cuts to go ahead in the way they are because it’s going to detract seriously from the service we’re going to be able to offer the people of Lancashire. We don’t want people not being able to get to school, work, college or hospital because there are no bus services around. I’m so incensed about this. I’m just worried we are taking away the basis on which an awful lot of modern society is built.”

He also said it was time to look again at the health and care budget: “We need a new settlement around social care and working with clinical commissioning groups for health so health can be looked at as a single entity.”

Public service union Unison’s branch secretary Elaine Cotterell reported staff had wept as news of hundreds more full time job losses were announced. She predicted thousands of staff would go as many are part timers, She said: “It’s going to have a big effect on the economy and where are people going to find similar work?”