PATRONS
Local businesses must engage with devolution
most of the opportunities offered by the government’s devolution programme and the Midlands Engine. The secretary of state for business,
B
innovation and skills was speaking to business leaders as guest of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) hosted by Mondelez International at their Cadbury headquarters.
‘Chambers of Commerce and LEPs can really make a difference’
Getting engaged: Sajid Javid (second left) is pictured with, from left: Oliver Cofler (director, Northern Europe, Mondelez), Greg Lowson (President, Birmingham Chamber) and Paul Faulkner (chief executive Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce
He told representatives of GBCC patrons, among the largest companies in the region, that businesses had a big role to play to make the Midlands Engine a success. In answer to a question from Birmingham Chamber
president Greg Lowson, the MP for Bromsgrove said: “Businesses here have a huge role to play. To influence the agenda on issues like skills and business rates they need to get engaged so that they can work with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Local Enterprise Partnership. “It has got to be well organised and it’s here the
Chambers of Commerce and the LEPs can really make a difference. Get in touch with my department and others and it really will make a difference.” Mr Javid earlier said that although progress had been
made since 2010, “there is a lot left to do”. He added: “We now have the productivity challenge. In terms of production, we are 25 per cent on average behind the G7 and if we matched the US, GDP would be £25,000 per household.” He added that he was “effectively the Midlands
Engine Minister” and it was important that the region had a place at the Cabinet table.
usinesses in the West Midlands were urged by Sajid Javid to “get engaged” in order to make the
Children choose marvellous nurses
Children and young people with rare diseases have helped fill two nursing roles at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The children and their families
were involved throughout the recruitment process for the two new posts, which have been funded by Roald Dahl’s ‘Marvellous Children’s Charity’. The final decision on who to
employ was left with a panel of parents, who chose Kate Penny- Thomas as the hospital’s ‘Roald Dahl Rare Disease Nurse’ and Sian Bicker as ‘Roald Dahl Genetics Nurse’. Kate’s role will be to support
children and their families diagnosed with a rare disease, as well as setting up new tuberous sclerosis clinics. Sian will be working on the pioneering ‘100,000 Genomes Project’, which the hospital is supporting by recruiting young people with a rare disease but without a genetic diagnosis. So far, more than 170 children
have been recruited to this ground- breaking study, which is a new genomic medicine service for the NHS which will transform the way people are cared for.
APRIL 2016 CHAMBERLINK 19
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