Latest news with #Butcher
NZ Herald
a day ago
- Health
- NZ Herald
Tairāwhiti's struggle with low immunisation rates ongoing but situation improving
Tairāwhiti recorded an immunisation rate of 68.1% in the quarter ending March 30, 2025, compared to a national average of 79.3%. The national target is 95% by 2030. The region's most recent figures are an improvement on an earlier health targets report for the quarter ended September 2024, which noted 57.1% of Tairāwhiti children were fully immunised by the time they were 24 months. Tairāwhiti did much better in other areas, ranking second in the country for two of the other four Health Targets – faster cancer treatment and shorter stays in Emergency Departments (ED). Its success in those areas nearly matched or even exceeded nationwide targets for 2030 already. Ngāti Porou Hauora Charitable Trust (NPH) ranked last out of the country's 38 Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) in terms of immunising children by their second birthday. According to Health NZ figures, 38% of 39 2-year-olds registered with NPH were fully immunised. The number of children whose caregivers declined to vaccinate tallied 10.3%. Ngāti Porou Hauora Charitable Trust declined to comment. Gisborne's other PHO, Pinnacle Midlands Health Network Tairāwhiti, ranked 19th with a fully immunised rate of 80.4% for its 138 registered 2-year-olds. The number of children whose caregivers declined to vaccinate was 7.2%. The national figure (14,324 eligible 2-year-olds) was 11,369 children or 79.3% fully immunised, with 1176 (8.2%) declining to vaccinate. Pinnacle chief executive Justin Butcher said immunisation rates had increased in Tairāwhiti over the past 12 months. 'Our teams have been working closely with Tūranga Health and Ngāti Porou Oranga, alongside Te Whatu Ora and the National Public Health Service, to improve access and share trusted information with whānau. 'We especially want to acknowledge and thank our general practice network for their ongoing support and commitment.' Pinnacle Midlands Health Network Tairāwhiti's network includes City Medical Centre, De Lautour Medical, The Doctor/ Te Whare Hapara, Three Rivers Medical Centre and Waikohu Medical Centre. Butcher said there had been vaccine hesitancy, some of which had arisen during Covid-19. 'We're continuing to focus on providing up-to-date, accurate information and having respectful, honest kōrero so whānau feel informed and confident when making decisions for their tamariki.' Health NZ's other Health Targets by 2030 95% of patients waiting less than four months for a first specialist assessment. The March quarter NZ average was 58.2% with Tairāwhiti placing 12th at 54.9%. 90% of patients recieving cancer treatment within 31 days of the decision to treat. The March quarter NZ average was 84.6% and Tairāwhiti placed second at 96%. 95% of patients being admitted, discharged, or transferred from an emergency department (ED) within six hours. The March quarter NZ average was 74.2% with Tairāwhiti placing second at 93.6%. 95% of patients waiting less than four months for elective treatment. The March quarter NZ average was 57.3% with Tairāwhiti ranked 11th at 58.8%. Barrington said Health NZ Tairāwhiti was working hard to improve wait times for patients 'by using all available public resources ... and partnering with private providers where appropriate'. 'The results from Quarter three (end of March) were encouraging and show we are heading in the right direction. Barrington said patients waiting for their first specialist assessment who were concerned their condition had changed should contact their GP again in the first instance. The Health Targets quarterly report showed 2540 first specialist assessments (FSA) were delivered in the March 2025 quarter in Tairāwhiti, down from 3189 assessments (a 20.35% decrease) for the same quarter of 2024. There were 89 cardiology patients on the FSA waiting list, with fewer than five patients waiting less than four months. 'In cardiology, we've increased local access through a mix of digital health services, visiting specialists, nurse practitioner support, and a partnership with HeartLab to speed up heart scan reporting,' Barrington said. Other factors that could contribute to wait times were patients needing further investigations before treatment, needing another type of treatment first, delays from unrelated illnesses and patient choice. Barrington said Gisborne Hospital continued to perform among the top hospitals nationwide for shorter ED stays. 'This has been supported by our Integrated Operations Centre and the opening of the Wellness, Health Access and Intervention Unit, which is a dedicated area for lower-acuity patients that helps free up space in ED.' She attributed the region's strong performance in delivering faster access to cancer treatment to close collaboration with Waikato Hospital, where Gisborne patients were sent for more specialised care. 'To reduce wait lists for elective surgeries, we have partnered with private providers in Hawke's Bay for ear, nose and throat services and Gisborne for additional orthopaedics capacity,' she said. 'We've also improved local theatre utilisation from 73.4% to 82.3%, meaning more surgical procedures are taking place in Tairāwhiti, sooner. 'By using this additional capacity and reducing wait lists, patients will receive their elective care faster.'
Hans India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
Long way to go before racism is rooted out: Roland Butcher
Beckenham Forty five years after becoming the first Black cricketer to play for England, Roland Butcher says there is still a long way to go before racism is rooted out of the game and British society in general. Butcher, who shuttles between his native Barbados and the United Kingdom, is currently in England spreading the message of an inclusive society through his autobiography -– 'Breaking Barriers: Barbados to England and Back'. Speaking to PTI, the 71-year-old, who made history by playing three Tests and as many ODIs for England, looked back at his early days as a black cricketer in the '70s and '80s, his last minute withdrawal from the rebel tour of South Africa in the apartheid era and how his story opened the doors for the younger generations who went on to play for the country. 'I am pragmatic enough to understand that something doesn't just finish just like that. The only thing that would finish anything in a hurry is a meteorite. But everything takes time and you chip away at it,' said Butcher, a former batter. 'Racism has been chipped away in England by a foreign person since the 1950s. We're in 2025 and we're still talking about it. So that tells you just how long the process is. 'I think it's a never-ending process. It's one that has to be worked at all the time. So, you know, you've got to keep chipping away. We've got it to this point, but there's still a long way to go.' Butcher was among the many in the cricketing world that were shocked by racism allegations made by Karachi-born cricketer Azeem Rafiq against his county team Yorkshire in 2020, leading to multiple resignations at the club.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
New 'Dresden Files' book is coming: See the cover reveal for 'Twelve Months'
Get ready, 'Dresden Files' fans – for the first time in five years, the beloved Chicago wizard will return for a new Jim Butcher adventure. 'Twelve Months' (out January 2026 from Penguin Random House) promises a gripping thriller where Harry Dresden will not only have to save the day, but himself. Keep reading to get a first look at the cover, exclusively revealed by USA TODAY. Wondering what's in store for Harry? Writing to USA TODAY from his honeymoon, here's what Butcher says readers can expect. New 'Dresden Files' book: See the cover 'Twelve Months' features Harry in signature 'Dresden Files' cover style – with a hat and his staff. According to Butcher, this story sees a 'modern city suddenly plunged back to the technology of the 18th century.' It's also the first 'Dresden Files' book that wasn't outlined in Butcher's original plan for the series, an assignment he turned in as a grad student at the University of Oklahoma about 30 years ago, the author told The New York Times. What is 'Twelve Months' by Jim Butcher about? In a broad sense, 'Twelve Months' is about the 'human costs' of what happened in 'Battle Ground' and how the characters survive it. 'It's a story about how you pick yourself up again when life has knocked everything out from under you – how you find strength in yourself and what it takes to get back on your feet,' Butcher tells USA TODAY. The novel begins as Harry is helping the city of Chicago and his friends recover after the battle in the last novel. He needs time to rebuild, but there are bigger problems at hand – ghouls hunting innocent Chicagoans, fae and vampire alliances and a betrothal to a seductive, deadly vampire. And his brother is dying. 'As a professional wizard in supernatural Chicago, Harry Dresden has to deal with a lot more vampires and monsters than most people do, and he's got people who are depending on him in their own time of need – particularly his own brother, who is going to die in one of several horrible ways if Dresden can't figure out how to pull him out of the metaphysical and political tiger pits within which Thomas is trapped,' Butcher says. 'He's got to rise to these challenges at a time when loss and grief have made him feel about as dynamic as a pile of dirty laundry. He's going to have to dig deep into his resources, personal and magical, to overcome these troubles. It isn't going to be pretty, but they don't call Harry Dresden the Wizard of Chicago for nothing,' he adds. "Twelve Months" is available to preorder now and will publish Jan. 20, 2026. Loved 'Red Rising'?: Dystopian, sci-fi novels to read next Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
Long way to go to end racism: England's first Black cricketer speaks out
Forty five years after becoming the first Black cricketer to play for England, Roland Butcher says there is still a long way to go before racism is rooted out of the game and the British society in general. Butcher, who shuttles between his native Barbados and the United Kingdom, is currently in England spreading the message of an inclusive society through his autobiography - 'Breaking Barriers: Barbados to England and Back'. Speaking to PTI, the 71-year-old, who made history by playing three Tests and as many ODIs for England, looked back at his early days as a black cricketer in the '70s and '80s, his last minute withdrawal from the rebel tour of South Africa in the apartheid era and how his story opened the doors for the younger generations who went on to play for the country. "I am pragmatic enough to understand that something doesn't just finish just like that. The only thing that would finish anything in a hurry is a meteorite. But everything takes time and you chip away at it," said Butcher, a former batter. "Racism has been chipped away in England by a foreign person since the 1950s. We're in 2025 and we're still talking about it. So that tells you just how long the process is. "I think it's a never-ending process. It's one that has to be worked at all the time. So, you know, you've got to keep chipping away. We've got it to this point, but there's still a long way to go." Butcher was among the many in the cricketing world that were shocked by racism allegations made by Karachi-born cricketer Azeem Rafiq against his county team Yorkshire in 2020, leading to multiple resignations at the club. Though it is easier to call out racism in county cricket than his playing days, Butcher feels the discrimination, whether subtle or in your face, remains. "There has been incremental progress. I don't think that you will just suddenly get a blank sheet of paper and it'll all be a perfect drawing on it. That's not going to happen. I think it's something that has to be worked at continuously. And gradually over time, let's reduce the instances. "But it's not going to just suddenly disappear. If something's been going on for centuries, it doesn't disappear within one year. And both players, ECB, everybody has to work at it. Trying to just level the playing field. That's the important thing," said Butcher. Lot of black players had it more difficult than me Butcher played for Middlesex from 1974 to 1990. He faced racism on the county cricket circuit but the others had it much tougher. "Well, for me personally, it wasn't that bad because (as he grew up in Barbados before moving to England at the age of 13), I am the sort of person that I didn't let anything deter me from what I really wanted to achieve. But in saying that, back in the '80s, there certainly was a lot of racism in England, not just in cricket, but I think in society. "A lot of black players had difficult times, more difficult times than me around the circuit. But having made the breakthrough, I think it assisted a number of other black players who had been striving to get forward. "I'm still very proud of that achievement because as I said, not only did I get to where I wanted to be as an international cricketer and achieve what I wanted to, I'm very proud that it opened the doors for many and many black players have passed through that door as well." 'They have got five black cricketers playing for them' Having said that, incidents of casual racism remember remains fresh in Butcher's memory. One of the things that I remember me personally is, I was fortunate to play in a very good Middlesex team that was very successful. We had a lot of good players, but we also had, at any one time, we had five black players in the team. So there was myself, Wayne Daniel, Will Slack, Neil Williams and Norman Collins. "So, you know, we were a pretty multi-racial team, but it didn't stop opposition fans from remarking at times. I can remember one particular game against Kent where we were taking the field after tea and as we walked through the crowd, someone remarked, 'look, they've got five of them'. "I just thought, how perceptive, we've been playing all day and you only just realised that there's five black players in Middlesex team," he recollected as if it was yesterday. Withdrawal from rebel tour of South Africa Butcher was a beacon of hope for the Black community in England but a controversy erupted when he decided to tour South Africa in 1989 when the apartheid policy was still in effect and the team from the rainbow nation was banned from international cricket. There was intense backlash and Butcher realised that it was in his and his community's best interests that he did not board the flight to South Africa with a predominantly white team, including captain Mike Gatting. "I had made the decision to go for various reasons. And, then in reflection over a period of time, perhaps a little bit more education, I realised that going would be perhaps not the best thing in my interest or in the interest of black people in South Africa and outside of South Africa. "There were legal challenges but then I made the decision to withdraw from the tour," said Butcher, who played county cricketer against the likes of Farok Engineer, Sunil Gavaskar, Bishan Singh Bedi and Imran Khan. Britain has no choice but to be more tolerant In the end, Butcher said it is not all doom and gloom when it comes to dealing with racial matters in England, considering a sizeable chunk of the country's population is black or coloured. "I think Britain is a much more tolerant country now than it used to be. It has to be if you think of the nationalities that live within England, Scotland and Wales right now. They have no choice but to be more tolerant because there are large percentages of foreign people living in this land. "...Back in the '70s, '80s, '90s, it would have been much more difficult to call out racism because any black or Asian or any foreign player didn't feel they could speak out because they were not represented in any way. "Now they've got more of a voice because they're now encouraged to speak out. If you have a problem within your club, you're now encouraged to speak. And they've got people dedicated within the clubs to listen to you and take it forward. That didn't happen before. So again, that is progress," concluded Butcher.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: 'It doesn't just disappear' - Former England player says racism still runs deep in English cricket
Ben Stokes of England celebrates (Photo by) Roland Butcher , the first Black cricketer to play for England 45 years ago, believes racism remains deeply rooted in cricket and British society despite progress over the decades. Currently promoting his autobiography 'Breaking Barriers: Barbados to England and Back', the 71-year-old former batter shared his experiences as a black cricketer in the 1970s and 1980s, including his decision to withdraw from the controversial rebel tour of apartheid-era South Africa. Butcher, who divides his time between Barbados and the United Kingdom, acknowledges that addressing racism requires sustained effort and time. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "I am pragmatic enough to understand that something doesn't just finish just like that. The only thing that would finish anything in a hurry is a meteorite. But everything takes time and you chip away at it. Racism has been chipped away in England by a foreign person since the 1950s. We're in 2025 and we're still talking about it. So that tells you just how long the process is." The former England player was disturbed by the racism allegations made by Azeem Rafiq against Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 2020, which led to significant changes in the club's leadership. Exclusive | First look of the Old Trafford pitch "There has been incremental progress. I don't think that you will just suddenly get a blank sheet of paper and it'll all be a perfect drawing on it. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo That's not going to happen. I think it's something that has to be worked at continuously. And gradually over time, let's reduce the instances. But it's not going to just suddenly disappear. If something's been going on for centuries, it doesn't disappear within one year. And both players, ECB, everybody has to work at it. Trying to just level the playing field. That's the important thing." During his career at Middlesex from 1974 to 1990, Butcher experienced racism but maintains others faced greater challenges. "Well, for me personally, it wasn't that bad because I am the sort of person that I didn't let anything deter me from what I really wanted to achieve. But in saying that, back in the '80s, there certainly was a lot of racism in England, not just in cricket, but I think in society. A lot of black players had difficult times, more difficult times than me around the circuit. But having made the breakthrough, I think it assisted a number of other black players who had been striving to get forward. " Butcher recalls specific instances of casual racism during his playing days at Middlesex, where he was part of a diverse team. Poll Do you believe racism still exists in cricket today? Yes, it's still prevalent No, it's largely eliminated "One of the things that I remember me personally is, I was fortunate to play in a very good Middlesex team that was very successful. We had a lot of good players, but we also had, at any one time, we had five black players in the team. So there was myself, Wayne Daniel, Will Slack, Neil Williams and Norman Collins. So, you know, we were a pretty multi-racial team, but it didn't stop opposition fans from remarking at times. I can remember one particular game against Kent where we were taking the field after tea and as we walked through the crowd, someone remarked, 'look, they've got five of them'. I just thought, how perceptive, we've been playing all day and you only just realised that there's five black players in Middlesex team." A significant moment in Butcher's career came in 1989 when he initially agreed to join the controversial rebel tour of South Africa but later withdrew. "I had made the decision to go for various reasons. And, then in reflection over a period of time, perhaps a little bit more education, I realised that going would be perhaps not the best thing in my interest or in the interest of black people in South Africa and outside of South Africa. There were legal challenges but then I made the decision to withdraw from the tour." Despite ongoing challenges, Butcher sees positive changes in modern Britain's approach to racial issues. "I think Britain is a much more tolerant country now than it used to be. It has to be if you think of the nationalities that live within England, Scotland and Wales right now. They have no choice but to be more tolerant because there are large percentages of foreign people living in this land. Back in the '70s, '80s, '90s, it would have been much more difficult to call out racism because any black or Asian or any foreign player didn't feel they could speak out because they were not represented in any way. Now they've got more of a voice because they're now encouraged to speak out. If you have a problem within your club, you're now encouraged to speak. And they've got people dedicated within the clubs to listen to you and take it forward. That didn't happen before. So again, that is progress." Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
