GLASS BARRIERS AT KIDDERMINSTER TOWN HALL COST WYRE FOREST COUNCIL TAX PAYERS £22,425!

Liberal Councillors say they are "totally astounded and appalled" at the cost of the new glass barriers outside Kidderminster Town Hall. 

Liberal Group Leader Councillor Mike Oborski said today "We are absolutely staggered to learn that the cost of the glass barriers and railings at the Town Hall turns out to be £22,425".

"The money could have been better spent on vital Council services. Much more modest cast iron railings, in keeping with the Victorian style of the building would have been perfectly practical and acceptable."

"Instead the Council has paid a small fortune for a monstorous eyesore!"

POLICE are hunting a man after a teenager was attacked and sexually assaulted while walking through Kidderminster's Comberton estate.

The 19-year-old fought off the offender, who blocked the path and forced her against railings, at about 10.15pm on Thursday, November 23 in Doverdale Avenue.

Officers are carrying out investigations to find out if the frightening incident is linked to two others that occurred nearby last week.

A man followed an 18-year-old woman before approaching her and making inappropriate comments in the first, which happened in Chester Road North, near the cricket ground, on Monday, November 20.

In the second incident a 14-year-old was tracked by a man through an alleyway between Chester Road North and the Comberton estate.

Detective sergeant, Natalie Jones, of Kidderminster Police said: "It is possible there may have been other incidents which have not been reported and we would very much like to speak to any victims who have not come forward as they may have vital information.

"House to house inquiries have been carried out in the area and patrols are being stepped up.

"We do not want to alarm people but we are advising women and teenage girls to take common sense precautions, such as avoiding using alleyways at night, and where possible, not walking alone after dark."

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact Kidderminster Police on 08457 444888 or Crimestoppers 0800 555111.

A SERIOUS QUESTION FOR THE POLICE...

As The Shuttle posted the story online at 3.52 pm today why - if they are looking for "witnesses or anyone with information" - did the Police NOT even mention the incidents at tonight's Offmore & Comberton PACT meeting at 7.00 pm which was of course packed with residents from the very area concerned?

We, including Fran and Siri who were at tonight's PACT meeting only found out about this incident by just reading it minutes ago on the Shuttle online!

We are contacting the Police to ask the question and make the point. The reply should be interesting to say the least!

PRESS RELEASE FROM CLLR. FRAN OBORSKI...

AS POLICE MISS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS PARENTS ARE URGED TO TAKE EXTRA CARE NOW...

Local Liberal Councillors are demanding to know why, when the Shuttle online on Monday afternoon was able to post an exremely important story - "Hunt After Teen Sexually Assaulted" - following a series of very recent incidents on Kidderminster's Comberton estate which specifically called for "witnesses or anyone with information" to contact Kidderminster Police - the Police themselves failed to make any mention whatsover of these incidents or to call for "witnesses or anyone with information" to come forward at Monday night's Offmore and Comberton PACT Meeting!

Local Liberal Councillor Fran Oborski, who was at the Meeting, said "The Police run Offmore and Comberton PACT meeting was held at St. Chads Church Hall at the Centre of the Comberton Estate in the very centre of the area where the incidents have only just occured".

"The meeting was packed with local people from the Comberton and Offmore area all there because they were anxious to co-operate with the Police, Councillors and various local organisations and public services to tackle local crime problems and neighbourhood problems and issues."

"Given that the Police had the perfect local audience why did they not take the opportunity to call for "witnesses or anyone with information" to contact Kidderminster Police?"

"It seems absolutely absurd that the Police squandered such an obvious opportunity to get the message across at a local meeting to local people!"

"News of such an appeal would have been spread like wild fire by word of mouth and by tommorrow night virtually everyone in the area would have known about the appeal!"

Councillor Oborski said "I only found out about these awful incidents when I got home after the PACT meeting and checked the excellent and very regularly updated news service on The Kidderminster Shuttle web site. Otherwise I would still be completely in the dark!"

Cllr Oborski said the thoughts of her and her colleagues were with the victims of these incidents - "it must have been extremely distressing for all of them".

She called on "all girls and women in the Comberton and surrounding areas to take extreme care when out and about on foot in the area until the culprit is arrested by the Police."

"In particular I would urge all parents to take extra precautions and to make absolutely sure that young daughters are not under any circumstances out and about alone on foot in the area and only go out on locally on foot if accompanied by responsible, reliable and preferably adult family members or friends".

IMPORTANT! PLEASE REMEMBER...

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact Kidderminster Police on 08457 444888 or Crimestoppers 0800 555111.

REALLY POSITIVE OFFMORE & COMBERTON PACT MEETING TONIGHT...

About 40 local residents attended tonight’s Offmore & Comberton PACT (Partners And Community Together) Meeting. It was a really positive meeting with lots of new faces and lots of good ideas.

Top of the list of local issues of concern tonight was the need for double yellow lines at the Chaddesley Road / Holmcroft Road junction and the need for enforcement of the “No Right Turn” at the Chaddesley Road / Chester Road North junction. Local residents are taking the registration numbers of cars turning right and will pass them on to the Police! The “plate numbers” of any taxis turning right will be reported to the District Council who are the Taxi Licensing Authority.

Other issues raised include:-

- Vandalism and graffiti in the alleyways from:-

-        Broom Crescent to Chester Road North;

-        Queen Elizabeth Road to Byron Close;

-        Queen Elizabeth Road to Wordsworth Crescent.

-        Unacceptable behaviour, including throwing rubbish into gardens by homeward bound King Charles I High School pupils.

-        Unreasonable parking on zig-zag lines by Offmore First School and in the Masefield Gardens Car Park by parents collecting children after school.

-        The need for a right turn filter at the Comberton Road / Chester Road North Junction.

-        Unreasonable parking and unloading late at night on Somerleyton Avenue – blocking the road.

-        Overcrowding and nuisance at one particular property on the Comberton Estate!

After the meeting a lot of free low energy light bulbs and water saving "water hogs" were  distributed.

KIDDERMINSTER CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCHED ON...

Late on Saturday afternoon the Kidderminster Town Centre Christmas lights were switched on. Our photos show Kidderminster Mayor Cllr Paul Harrison and the Mayoress on the balcony outside the Mayor's Parlour and the Carol Concert , hosted by Wyre FM, outside the Town Hall...

Kidderminster Shuttle reports...

MAGICAL PARADE DAZZLES SHOPPERS

HUNDREDS of children made Kidderminster's big Christmas lights switch-on a magical time as they paraded through the streets in colourful fancy dress costumes.

Crowds packed into Vicar Street to watch Santa and mayor Paul Harrison switch on the thousands of tiny star-like lights that adorn the garlands suspended across the town centre streets.

They were joined on the town hall balcony by the winners of the parade's fancy dress competition, which used the enchanting Nutcracker story as a theme.

Leisure services manager Sue Harper said about 200 youngsters many from Rainbows, Beavers, Brownies and Guides took part in the parade, along with individual children.

"The costumes were really good and the parade was excellent - extremely colourful," said Miss Harper.

She said town was very busy and the large crowds enjoyed the carol service led by youngsters from Wolverley and Cookley schools prior to the lights switch-on.

There was also lots of fun in the Swan Centre with singing from Shuttle/Times & News sales executive singer Lisa-J, crooner Steve Diamond and Kidderminster Male Choir.

Santa's grotto opened for the first time and youngsters also enjoyed a talent show, face painting, paint tatoos, hair-braiding, a treasure hunt and chocolate fountain, while caricaturist Stan Hurr proved a big hit with shoppers.

Centre manager Ros Darby said: "Most of the stores had a brilliant Saturday, their best so far and the entertainment did bring a lot of people into the centre."

BEHIND THE HEADLINES LIES A REAL PUZZLE FOR LOCAL COUNCILS...

The front page headline “BOOST FOR RINK PLAN” hides a fundamental local government dilemma.

Anyone reading the story could well be forgiven for thinking that Kidderminster will very soon boast a major state of the art new Ice Skating Rink. The truth is rather different. The basic story goes something like this:-

A young Stourport school girl collects signatures on a Petition calling for an Ice Rink. Councillors are rightly impressed by her initiative and determination. Some Councillors express total support for the idea.

The ruling Council administration has no plans or funds for such a project. They are already committed to a whole range of major projects and there is no way another project can get written in now.

Those Councillors who want the scheme to proceed or at the very least want to ensure that no stone is left unturned to see if something can be done want a “Task and Finish Group” to explore every possibility.

The issue ends up at the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee which I happen to Chair at the moment.

The Leader of the Council and his colleagues say that the Scrutiny Panel can set up a “Task and Finish Group” if they so wish but they will do it on their own - with none of the normal officer back up – and they must make it clear to anyone they talk to what the Council position really is.

The Service Scrutiny Panel set up a “Task and Finish Group” and set of, with no Council support, to explore all the “options”.

Now of course what is really going on here is that some Councillors hope, against all the odds, that somehow an Ice Rink will eventually emerge from all of this. Or at the very least demonstrate in the event of failure that no stone has been left unturned in the search to find a workable “option”.

Other Councillors, including in this case the Council Leader and Cabinet take the view that as there is absolutely no hope of Council support – financial or otherwise – the “Task and Finish Group” is essentially a totally dead end raising unrealistic expectations which can only lead to bitter disillusionment and disappointment.

Only time will tell who is right. The question of course is very simple but very difficult to answer. How far do you go before you admit something won’t work. Stop too soon and you might just miss the unexpected opportunity to achieve the goal. Go on too long and you waste resources on research (hence the Cabinet clamp down!) and simply raise doomed expectations to no point.

It’s a difficult one to resolve – particularly as every case is of course different or at least argued by protagonists to be different!

Meanwhile the Express & Star prints this - a perfectly valid story in their terms by Sue Smith who is an excellent journalist - but a story nevertheless which raises expectations ever higher still...

BOOST FOR RINK

WORCESTERSHIRE Primary Care Trust's forecasted deficit of £16 million is the "subject of urgent discussions", according to its chief executive.

The trust has current overspend of £8.3 million and the predicted deficit by the end of the financial year represents three per cent of the total budget of £610 million.

Paul Bates said: "Worcestershire PCT merged on October 1 with Redditch and Bromsgrove, South Worcestershire and Wyre Forest PCTs. Each of our predecessor PCTs balanced their books in 2005-06.

"We are currently forecasting a deficit of £16 million in 2006-07 and this is the subject of urgent discussions with our colleagues at West Midlands Strategic Health Authority. "

Kidderminster Chronicle reports it like this...

NON-WORKING CCTV LEAVES TRADERS ANGRY

SHOPKEEPERS in Kidderminster are upset after discovering some of the ton’s CCTV cameras have not been working. Wyre Forest District Liberal Councillor Fran Oborski told members at a full council meeting that traders were alarmed to find out technical difficulties had arisen with some of the cameras in the town centre, particularly in the New Road and Bromsgrove Street areas.

Councillor Oborski said the problem was uncovered following an incident in New Road.

She said when traders asked if the incident had been captured on camera they were told the closed circuit television had been out of action for a few days.

“The shopkeepers were not aware that the cameras were not in operation” she said.

“We do not know how often, and for what duration, each camera has been out of action since closed circuit television was installed in Kidderminster Town Centre.

PROBLEM

Councillor Oborski added it appeared there was only partial movement on some of the cameras which had impaired the quality of the images.

“I am told that the maintenance company offers that if a camera cannot be repaired a replacement one is installed” she said.

“But the traders understand that delays have resulted because of a lack of replacements.”

The Councillor has now called for action to solve the problem. 

Cabinet Member for community and leisure services councillor Nathan Desmond said a meeting had been arranged for later this month to discuss the issues involved.

Holiday jets bid dropped

FOCUS SPECIAL

Here we go again! Old Victoria sports ground...

According to the 23rd November front page lead story in the Express & Star “Kidderminster carpet manufacturer Victoria is to submit detailed plans for a hotel, pub, restaurant and bowling club on its former sports field in the town”.

Read our letter and survey form to local residents here - it is in pdf format!

Twenty three Polish miners are dead following underground explosion on Tuesday. You can find out more here.

CHRISTMAS POSTING DATES AND COSTS REMINDER...

Recommended last posting dates are Tuesday, December 19 for first class and Saturday, December 16 for second class.

The last recommended international airmail dates are Wednesday, December 13 for Western Europe, Monday, December 11 for the USA, Canada, Japan and Eastern Europe and Friday, December 8 for the rest of the world.

With the recent introduction of paying for the size of letter posted, as well as the weight, this year's Christmas stamps include new letter and large letter stamps.

For the vast majority of Christmas cards, the letter rate of 32p for first class or 23p for second class applies. For larger cards, over nine inches by six inches, the large letter rate applies of 44p for first class or 37p for second class.

HOW VERY, VERY KIND!

Just discovered the following from Tom Watson's blog. Tom is Labour MP for West Bromwich East but I have to forgive him as he is (a) actually a very good guy and (b) Kidderminster born and bred - in Offmore & Comberton of course. Here is a snippet from a June 2006 speech in the House of Commons. How extraordinarily kind of him to mention me. I really am touched! 

Tom Watson (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Defence) Hansard source

The hon. Gentleman has made that allegation twice and the Deputy Prime Minister is not here to defend himself —[ Interruption. ] He is not here to defend himself. Given that the hon. Gentleman is an Opposition deputy Chief Whip, I thought that the comments that he made on the Chiefs of the Defence Staff were frankly outrageous. I am sure that they do not reflect the view of Opposition Front-Bench Members.

The hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) spoke up for his constituents in his usual way. He spoke honestly and movingly about their views. He made a particular point about our Polish veterans and I was pleased that he did, because I come from Kidderminster, which is not too far away from his constituency and has a strong Polish community. Many members of that community served in the war and have a distinguished record. I am glad that he has given me the opportunity to get my thanks to them on the record. I am going to come out with a world first and praise a Liberal councillor, Mike Oborski, who has been a powerful advocate for Polish veterans over many decades. I glad that we can recognise the work that he does in Kidderminster and in England.

Daniel Kawczynski MP : He must be the only gentleman of Polish origin who is a Liberal Democrat.

Tom Watson MP : He is not actually a Liberal Democrat. He is a Liberal—just to reassure those on the Liberal Democrat Front Bench—who was formerly a Liberal Democrat.

Catch up on Mikes personal "blog" at...

"Step Up To The Mike"

Meanhile let's start getting seasonal...

Fran was presented with her Worcestershire County Council's winner of "I'm A Councillor Get Me Out Of Here" Certificate at County Hall on Thursday!

Fran was the favourite with County Pupils in this years competition and was the last one left standing after everyone else was voted out! Fran says the young people gave contestants a really tough time with their very sharp questions and comments on local issues and services!  

Worcestershire Hub - Wyre Forest's new Customer Service Centre...

Kidderminster Town Hall : Monday -  Friday 8.30am - 5pm / Wednesday 10am - 5pm.

Telephone : (01562) 732928.

E-Mail : worcesterhirehub@wyreforestdc.gov.uk

Web Site : www.whub.org.uk

Customer service receptions will remain at:

Stourport Civic Centre : 9am - 5pm

Bewdley, Load Street : 9am - 1pm

KIDDERMINSTER SHUTTLE WEB SITE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL...

I think it is fair to say that the Kidderminster Shuttle web site is now much improved and offers a really excellent - and crucially now very regularly updated - local news service! It's now something quite special. Congratulations to the Shuttle on taking the lead on this. Too many newspapers simply don't take the plunge and really use the full potential of their wb site. Congratulations to the Shuttle on a bit of initiative and bravery in using the new medium.

You can find them at http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/ 

MIKE OBORSKI'S CANCER...

Cllr Mike Oborski made broadly similar personal statements to Wednesday night's Wyre Forest District Council meeting and Thursday's meeting of the Worcestershire County Council. This is the County Council text...

Chairman,

I know that tere has been speculation about my health.

In August 2005 I had surgery to remove a malignant tumour from my lower colon. The operation was a complete success.

In early September this year I was diagnosed with a major cancer outbreak of a speed and virulence well outside normal parameters. Indeed "Plan A", and I am being totally serious, was that I was to cease to function normally in the first few days of this November and die in the first few days of December.

However because of the bizarre nature of my case, intensive chemotherapy, and the use of a brand new mono clonoal nucleid drug (not available on the NHS in this country but I gather free everywhere else in Europe!) I now have the possibility of a much extended life span and I am already benefitting from a greatly improved quality of life! Indeed, most of the time I am fully back to business as usual.

Chairman, I have discovered that Cancer has much in common with prgnancy:-

All my friends keep asking how I am;

No, I don't get "morning sickness" but you don't want to know what I get instead!

It seems to go on for ever (Here's hoping!);

It will come to an end at some time!

I have cravings - grapefruit, pineapple, apple pie, writing FOCUS newsletters and beating the Tories 25 to 12 at District Council Meetings!

I would like to thank those already in the "know" who have ben extremely kind. I will keep Council informed of any developments.

Chairman, my "policy" is very simple - business as usual for as long as possible.

DEEPLY TOUCHED BY TORY KINDNESS...

Cllr Mike Oborski said today that he was "deeply touched and appreciative of very kind remarks and best wishes" on the local Conservative "blog" run by Cllr John Paul Campion.

"It is extremely kind of them and I really do appreciate it. Of course as Councillors from rival parties with different views and convictions we do fight hammer and tongs from time to time. However, most Council work is in reality co-operation on basic local issues of interest to local people with precious little politics in it a all. You soon learn that everyone on the Council is simply doing their best to help local people even if we do come across it from different angles! As a result you soon learn to respect - and indeed like - political opponents and they can, as in this case, actually be extremely kind and supportive. I really do thank Cllr Campion for his kind wishes."

TOWN HALL RAMP AGAIN. CLEARING THE AIR...

After an Express & Star story last week that English Heritage had DENIED responsibility for insisting on the glass and chrome on the ramp into the Town Hall I tabled a question at last nights Council Meeting to clear the air as we had been repeatedly told that English Heritage was to blame.

Today I received a copy of this memo from the Council Chief Executive Walter Delin. It's from Planning Director MIke Parker to Walter.

YES, IT CONFIRMS THAT ENGLISH HERITAGE ARE THE REAL CULPRITS...

Walter.

>>> Mike Parker 15/11/2006 09:00:54 >>

I spoke to Alan Taylor at English Heritage yesterday to get his take on
the Town Hall ramp situation. He readily accepts that EH played a
significant role in shaping the design of the ramp and stands by the EH
philosophy of using modern lightweight materials in juxtaposition to
historic fabric rather than a pastiche (i.e NOT the 'Victorian' style
railings preferred by some).

The use of the glass panels and the sweep of the ramp achieve the EH
goal of reducing the awkward functional angular approach first proposed
and maintaining the high visibility of the Town Hall frontage.

The EH ideal would have been to have no railings at all but Health &
Safety dictates this is a must and that there needs to be infill panels.
They did look at raising the pavement as an alternative to having a
ramp but this was totally impractical.

EH are prepared to stand up and be counted on this one and will defend
the design.

Mike

Mike Parker
Head of Planning, Health & Environment

PERSONALLY...

I think English Heritage are crazy but that's where they stand!

TOTAL TORY DEFEAT IN COUNCIL VOTE...

The Tory administration went down to a crashing defeat on the crucial issue of "shared services" at Wednesday night's meeting of the full Wyre Forest District Council.

The supposedly 18 strong Tory Group could muster only 12 votes in the face of an Efficiency Scrutiny Panel motion, moved by Liberal Panel Chairman Graham Ballinger to throw out Tory "shared services" proposals.

TORY DESERTIONS IN VOTE CRASH...

The Tories crashed by 25 votes to 12.  As well as Liberal, Health Concern, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Independent Councillors four Tories - Cllr Malcolm Hazlewood, Cllr Bill Jones, Cllr June Salter and Cllr Michael Salter  - voted against the Tory "whip" to help throw out the Tory administration proposals.

WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT...

The rejected Tory proposal would have concentrated Wyre Forest Revenue and Benefit Managers, Fraud Officers and some Senior Assessors at Wychavon District Council's Pershore Civic Cente. This was intended to be the first step in increasing centralisation of Council Service provision at a few selected sites in Worcestershire.

WHY IT'S ALL SO IMPORTANT...

Leading the opposition to the Tory plan Liberal Panel Chairman Councillor Graham Ballinger (photed left) highlighted a whole raft of key points undermining the plan:-

- £650,000 has to be spent upfront to make "possible" unguaranteed savings after 2100.

- The business case claims that the Council can save 75% of current suppor service costs of £600,000 - but scutiny tells us that even after a net reduction in 9 full time equivalent support service posts it is unlikely that 50% can be saved.

- It may not be possible to introduce a new information technology system or make modifications to the existing systems within the necessary teo year timescale.

- The business case assumes that although resources to increase staffing will be available at the other five District hubs there will be NO need for additional staff resources at the Wyre Forest Hub - a dangerous assuption when it only opened this week and demandcannot yet be measured.

- The local Citizens Advice Bureaux and Oldington Foley Park Community Network have both objected to theway that the proposal will impact on the most vulnerable in society.

- The Chief Executive of the Community Housing Group said tat £60 million of Community Housing Group  funds per year comes from benefits and its delivery is reliant on the close relationship between the Company and local benefit fraud and benefit assessor staff. Any deterioration in payments which put the Community Housing Group debt at over 2% would put at risk the £100,000 per year that the Community Housing Group puts into community grants within the District.

- We already have a working party at County on enhanced two tier working (Local Liberal Cllr Fran Oborski) is a member) developing a\realistic response to Govenment demands for improved two tier working.

- Our previous experience, however, is not happy. We use to have an agency agreement for the District to carry out County Highway's work locally. Then we had a County run so called "Highways Partnership" that certainly did not work. We now have even less.

- If we have to "trial" a "shared service" we should NOT play experimentl games with a service with a proven track record that serves and helps the most vulnerable people in society.

While Liberal Councillor Graham Ballinger put in a superb proposing speech and and a remarkably able and focused summing up with many excellent supporting speeches from opposition parties around the Council Chamber the Tories totally failed to put up a single sustained, meaningful or even really enthusiastic speech in support of their doomed proposal. Particularly noticeable was the total silence of Tory Cabinet Finance boss Cllr John Paul Campion.

And now for something completely different...

...the contribution of the Polish wartime generation!

Speech to mark Polish Independence Day delived by Cllr Mike Oborski, Consul of the Republic of Poland for the West Midlands, at the Polish Ex-Servicemen's Club, Kidderminster on 12th November 2006.

Read here in pdf format

BACK IN THE US of A....

TWO IMPORTANT SHUTTLE STORIES...

We feel dreadfully sorry for anyone faced with one of the call back letters. THe idea of a three week wait for blood test resuts seems scandalous in these circumstances! Paul Whittacker reports...

ANXIOUS WAIT FOR PATIENTS...

MORE than 60 patients treated at Kidderminster Hospital are facing an anxious three-week wait for blood test results after it was revealed they could have been cross-infected with HIV and Hepatitis B.

Letters were sent to those involved by NHS bosses on Monday after it emerged an orthopaedic health care worker, who has not been named, had been diagnosed with both conditions.

In all, more than 1,000 patients treated at hospitals across Worcestershire and Birmingham have been alerted.

No patient who has been in contact with the worker is known to have contracted the viruses but there remains a small risk of infection. Both HIV and Hepatitis B are spread from person to person through blood and bodily fluids. 

An expert panel advised the NHS that people treated by the employee over a six-year period should be recalled. Thousands of medical records have been pored over since then to establish who was at risk.

During a press conference at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital on Tuesday where the problem was revealed, Dr Rashmi Shukla, regional director of public health for NHS West Midlands, said 62 patients from Kidderminster were involved, describing the situation as "unique and complex".

She explained: "We have a duty of care for all our patients. We are conducting this exercise to ensure that patients who may have been placed at risk are informed and offered advice and testing."

The patients from Kidderminster Hospital are among more than 1,100 people treated at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital, Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham, Evesham Hospital and another in Southampton, thought to be at risk.

Guidelines state health care workers performing certain procedures must be known to be immune from Hepatitis B but there is no such requirement for HIV.

Former consultant physician and Wyre Forest MP, Dr Richard Taylor, urged caution, stating the risk of cross-infection was "minute in the extreme".

He added: "The one thing we must not do is condemn the health care worker involved. It is absolutely right that we do not know who it was and it remains that way.

"Everyone is tremendously aware these days of the risks involved in these types of cases. The chance of getting these viruses from a nurse, surgeon or doctor is absolutely minute in the extreme."