Legionella and the email to Prime Minister from Local Conservative Councillor

I was sent this email today by a local Conservative Councillor (yup, some of them still talk to me 

when their mates aren't looking). He is suggesting that pensioners are jailed and prisoners are

put in nursing homes as pensioners deserve better. Rather interestingly, also waiting for me was 

a leaked letter from Barnet Council to residents of an outsourced nursing home, detailing how they 

are at risk of being exposed to Legionella disease. I have put the full email up on my 

Future Shape website -  

http://barnetfutureshape.blogspot.com/2011/02/barnet-council-tenants-and-care-workers.html -

I've been told that the care homes affected are part of the bundle outsourced by Barnet Council to Catalyst and subject of a recent court case where Barnet was forced to stump up £8 million. The sad truth is that whilst the email is clearly "tongue in cheek" it would appear that our pensioners would actually be safer in Prison than in a Barnet Care home right now. My message to my Conservative Councillor friend who sent me the email is quite simple. Pull your finger out and sort this out. It cannot be right that the senior citizens of Barnet are treated like this. The sad truth is that the care and wellbeing of the elderly of Barnet is not the responsibilty of the Prime Minister, it is the responsibilty of Barnet Council and you could actually fix this and give them a decent quality of life, if you so chose.

Sadly from what I hear, the below email sums up the lives of many people in the care of Barnet Council.
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Dear Prime Minister,

Let's put the pensioners in jail and the criminals in a nursing home. This way
the pensioners would have access to showers, pastimes and walks. They'd receive
unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs etc
and they'd receive money instead of paying it out. They would have constant
video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly if they fell, or needed
assistance.

Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and
returned to them. A guard would check on them every 20 minutes and bring
their meals and snacks to their cell.

They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose. They would
have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counselling, pool and
education.

Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, PJ's and legal aid would be free, on
request. Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise area, with
gardens. Each pensioner could have a PC a TV radio and daily phone calls.

There would be a board of directors to hear complaints, and the guards would
have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to.

The "criminals" would get cold food, be left all alone and unsupervised for long periods.
Lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week. They would live in a tiny room and pay
£1200.00 per month for the priviledge with no hope of ever getting out.

We would appreciate your response quickly please, Prime Minster, time is not on our side.

I was told that this is a letter we should all send: = Well I just did