El Defensor del Pueblo acaba de abrir una actuación de oficio para conocer qué medidas de protección se están aplicando con una menor de edad que fue agredida sexualmente en un instituto público de Madrid.

El Defensor del Pueblo se ha dirigido a la Vicepresidencia y Consejería de Educación y Universidades de la Comunidad de Madrid con el fin de conocer las medidas de prevención que haya podido adoptar el centro educativo en el marco del protocolo de acoso escolar, los apoyos educativos que se hayan facilitado y las pautas correctivas que se hayan adoptado o vayan a adoptarse.

Esta actuación de oficio se inicia tras tener conocimiento, por diversas informaciones aparecidas en los medios de comunicación, de que una menor de 13 años había sido agredida sexualmente, presuntamente, por dos menores en los baños de un instituto público de Madrid, sufriendo desde entonces graves secuelas psicológicas.

The Commissioner for Environment and Planning, Perit Alan Saliba, attended the Green Week 2023 Brussels Conference, organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment. Invited speakers from the realms of politics, business, NGOs, and academia contributed to the event, themed “Delivering a Net-Zero World”.

This two-day event emphasised the need for ongoing environmental policies covering pivotal areas like biodiversity, circular economy, and zero pollution. The first day addressed the latest policy updates in these fields, while the second day delved into more detail on specialist topics, catering to expert audiences.

A critical message from the conference was the importance of a wider ecological shift in achieving the net-zero goal. This strategy includes treating nature as our main ally in driving change and ending pollution.

Green Week 2023 clearly outlined the imperative of sticking to environmental goals, irrespective of the prevailing economic and political climates. The conference argued that maintaining healthy ecosystems benefits the environment and lays a foundation for long-term sustainability, job growth, and new business opportunities. It drew attention to the connection between ecological health and the resilience and fairness of European societies.

The conference underscored the importance of maintaining a focus on environmental targets, capturing the essence of the European Union’s efforts to spearhead a clean tech revolution.

The European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, also participated in the conference. O’Reilly will be one of the keynote speakers at the upcoming “The Right to Good Administration: myth, aspiration or reality?” conference in Malta this October.

09:45 - 12:30

Host: European Ombudsman

Location:  Brussels, Belgium

Paul Henri Spaak Room, Sofitel Hotel, Place Jourdan 1, 1040 Brussels

A strong EU integrity framework is essential for public trust in EU decision making. The current system is complex, with several oversight authorities and multiple, overlapping rules applying to each institution. As the recent Qatargate revelations have demonstrated, the system remains vulnerable to serious breaches. With this in mind, the European Ombudsman has invited high-level speakers from the main oversight authorities as well as the European Commission and European Parliament to discuss the gaps in the architecture of, and compliance with, the integrity framework. What changes are needed to make it stronger? The discussion will also focus on proposals to create an Independent Ethics Body and its potential role in further improving the integrity of the EU administration.

Registration for the event is now closed.
The conference will also be webstreamed on the day, on this page.

Doctors failed to diagnose a woman’s colon cancer for a year despite her having ‘red flag’ symptoms.

In May 2019, Charlie Puplett, 45, began raising concerns with her GP surgery in Yeovil about unexplained weight loss, lack of appetite, change in bowel habits, a tender abdomen, stomach pain and bloating.

An investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found these symptoms should have been red flags leading to urgent attention.

While the GP practice did carry out several tests, none of them were for colon cancer.

Charlie now says she feels unable to trust anyone and needed therapy for PTSD following her experience.

In April 2020, after vomiting blood and faeces, Charlie called an ambulance and was taken to Yeovil Hospital where she was diagnosed with colon cancer.

Charlie underwent an emergency operation to remove two-thirds of her colon and a tumour. She also needed a stoma (an opening on the abdomen that allows waste to be diverted out of the body into a bag).

“I kept going back to the practice and they just fobbed me off. They didn’t listen to me at all. I saw a different doctor each time, one of whom suggested I had anorexia and was in denial.

“It all came to a head one evening when, after standing outside clapping for the NHS workers, I vomited blood and foul. I was taken to A&E and diagnosed with colon cancer. I was very frightened and just kept saying ‘no, it can’t be’.”

Charlie, whose cancer is now in remission, complained to us. Our investigation, which included seeking advice from an independent GP, found that staff at the practice should have suspected cancer and referred Charlie for further investigation within two weeks.

If Charlie had been referred appropriately, she would have had a planned keyhole procedure, rather than unnecessary emergency surgery and a stoma. She also would not have needed a further operation a year later to remove the stoma.

The Ombudsman recommended that the surgery pay Charlie £2,950 for its failures and put in place an action plan to prevent this from happening in the future.

Charlie added:

“I’ve got a second chance and I’m thankful for that, but it’s had a huge effect on my life. I still experience severe lack of sleep and restlessness, and I’m constantly living in fear that any health issue will turn into something worse. My confidence and self-esteem are through the floor and I have problems trusting anyone. 

“I don’t want this to happen to anybody else, which is why I took my complaint to the Ombudsman. I have to fight not just for myself but for other people too.

“Everyone needs to listen to their bodies. I knew something was wrong but I listened to the professionals who told me everything was okay. If you’re worried, demand things are checked out and get a second opinion if you need it.”

Ombudsman Rob Behrens said:

“Charlie was failed by the professionals who she went to for help and the effect on her life has been significant. Not only did she have to undergo unnecessary surgery, but it has also affected her emotional wellbeing.

“We cannot change what happened but it’s important that when mistakes are made, organisations acknowledge what has happened and commit to learning from these mistakes to prevent it from happening again.”

For more information about the symptoms of bowel cancer, including cancers of the colon and rectum, visit Bowel Cancer UK.

Hoy se ha firmado un convenio con la Agencia de la Vivienda de Cataluña

La mediación es una buena herramienta para conseguir acuerdos que eviten la pérdida de la vivienda
 

Hoy, viernes 2 de junio, la síndica, Esther Giménez-Salinas, y la directora de la Agencia de la Vivienda de Cataluña, Sílvia Grau, han firmado un convenio de colaboración en relación con la Red de servicios de mediación en materia de vivienda.

Una de las prioridades del mandato de la síndica es la mejora de la garantía del derecho a la vivienda, ya que es un derecho básico y las dificultades de acceso efectivo a la vivienda siguen siendo un problema grave. Las dificultades para afrontar el pago de la cuota hipotecaria o el alquiler terminan a menudo en desahucios, sin que exista ninguna alternativa de vivienda ni de realojamiento de las personas afectadas.

En este punto, la síndica considera que es imprescindible “una actuación preventiva de la Administración”, con el fin de facilitar que la persona pueda mantener su vivienda habitual y actuar ante el riesgo de pérdida de la vivienda, ya que es “mucho más efectiva, más económica y, sobre todo, menos traumática para las personas”. Por eso, la institución valora muy positivamente los servicios de mediación como el de Ofideute, que tienen como objetivo facilitar acuerdos que eviten la pérdida de la vivienda.

El convenio que se ha firmado hoy quiere dar cobertura legal a esta voluntad de colaboración y compartir experiencias y conocimientos sobre la mediación en el ámbito de la vivienda, que se materializará con la incorporación de la institución del Síndic de Greuges en la plataforma MEDIEM. Esta plataforma es una página web que recopila información relevante (normativa, formación, recursos...) sobre la mediación en este ámbito. Con la firma de hoy, la institución del Síndic podrá acceder a la plataforma y dar a conocer las actuaciones más relevantes que realice en materia de derecho de acceso a la vivienda.

Con este convenio, las partes también se comprometen a fomentar la comunicación mutua, y a colaborar en la organización de actos o formaciones para impulsar la mejora de la actuación administrativa o reformas legislativas.

Para garantizar el cumplimiento de los acuerdos también se prevé la creación de una comisión de seguimiento, que se reunirá al menos una vez al año para hacer balance del trabajo realizado.