Health Centre set to become 'Health Experiment'?

A recent meeting, chaired by North Douglas MHK, John Houghton, brought together a diverse group of concerned health service employees, politicians, government officials and a representative of Cable and Wireless to discuss the locating of mobile phone masts on the roof of the Village Walk, Onchan, health centre.

The building, which houses a Doctors? surgery and a Health Services? unit, now has mobile phone masts fitted on three of the four corners of the roof. This follows a successful planning application submitted in January this year.

The occupants are concerned that the application, for three antennas and two transmission dishes, was not brought to their attention; and they query whether the notice, required by the planning regulations, was appropriately displayed.

A spokesperson for the Surgery informed the Manx Herald that if they had been aware of the application they would have opposed it. They claim that the first they new something was happening was when they heard banging coming from alongside the building as worked commenced on the installation.

The occupants are concerned that they, their patients, other visitors and nearby residents, which includes two primary schools, are going to be exposed to an increase in electromagnetic radiation from the masts. They claim that the risks of exposure to the radiation is still not properly understood, and that it may be years before we know if it?s safe or not.

?We are effectively conducting a longitudinal study on the health of staff, visitors and residents,? said the spokesperson.

Asked what they are ultimately aiming to achieve by their protest, which includes a petition to be presented to the authorities involved, they replied, ?Have all the masts removed.?

Mike Harrington, Estates? Manager for the Department of Health and Social Services, who rent the building from Shoprite, told the Manx Herald that in respect of the planning application, ?We were not consulted.?

Mr Harrington says the Department have since written requesting a copy of the health risk assessment for the installation and for an Ofcom survey to be conducted. However, this survey will takes some months to arrange.

The Manx Herald contacted Shoprite for a comment and was informed that the person we needed to speak to is away until the 6^th June.

Malcolm Hulme, Clerk of Onchan District Commissioners, who had been represented by Commissioner Derek Crellin at the meeting, stated that the subject was due to go to a board meeting, on the 25^th June, for members to discuss. However, he believed it was unfair for the Commissioners to be criticized as, when they considered planning applications, it is the built environment, and the effect on public amenity, that they have to take into account. Mr Hulme suggested it is for others to consider the issues at the centre of this matter.

Doctor Paul Emerson, from the Directorate of Public Health, said that the Department ?have been looking into the evidence produced over the last two years? in connection to exposure to mobile phone radiation. He said that there is ?no hard or fast evidence it causes harm?.

However, he acknowledges there is an increase in the number of individuals that claim to be adversely affected and that his unit is eagerly waiting the results of a University of Essex study, due to be published later this year.

In the meantime he believes that a precautionary approach is required, particularly where continuous exposure is the issue, such as living or working close to phone masts.

He confirmed that he has sent an email to David Killip, Chief Executive of the DHSS, and to Eddie Teare, MHK, the Minister, setting out his views on the matter. He believes John Cain, Director of Education should also be involved in any discussuions, owing to the proximity of Ashley Hill and Onchan Schools.

Dr Emerson says he is now less concerned about the possible thermal effects of mobile phone radiation, it is the possible non-thermal effects that could pose the greater risk. Currently though, insufficient is known about the possible effects and that makes it difficult to say what level of radiation is safe.

He also believes there is a gap in the planning regulations in that Public Health is not directly consulted, on possible health impacts of applications, and he believes that this gap should be filled by including possible health impacts as a material planning consideration.

Anthony Hewitt, Director of the Communications Commission was also invited to the meeting, as it is his responsibility to issue licences to mobile phone operators.

Mr Hewitt informed the Manx Herald that he is not involved in planning. He explained that his role, when he grants a licence to an operator, is ?to ensure that it is in the economic interest of the Island and that it protects the consumer?.

However, he openly admits that he is not an engineer or a health professional; although he has helpfully produced a two page document, entitled ?The health effects of mobile phone base stations?. It lists a number of websites to visit and, in summary, reassuringly states: ?there is no evidence of a health risk in any area to which the public has access.?

John Houghton was less optimistic. He believes that it is, ?not proven that people will not suffer in the future? and he supports the masts removal.

He plans to ask the Chief Minister a Question at the next sitting of Tynwald. He says that, if he fails to get the response he wants to hear, he will be coming back to the Court with a Motion to debate. Mr Houghton wants a working party set up to investigate and make recommendations on the future regulation of the mobile phone industry.

Cable & Wireless and Manx Telecom, who have also a mast located on the building, were contacted for comment, but have yet to get back to the Manx Herald.

Links: www.mast-victims.org; www.ofcom.org.uk; www.hpa.org.uk; www.iegmp.org.uk