Northern TUC Asbestos Support Group ‘a force of good' says asbestos victim

date: 10 December 2012

embargo: for immediate release

Northern TUC Asbestos Support Group 'a force of good' says asbestos victim

Jim McGee was an ITV News cameraman for over 30 years. Unfortunately in 1958 he served an engineering apprenticeship in a shipyard on the Clyde after school. The asbestos he worked with everyday has come back to haunt him 50 years on as Jim now has Mesothelioma.

Jim's condition makes it very difficult even to talk without coughing and choking, so holding conversations in person and over the telephone is nigh on impossible, compounding the situation. Fortuitously, Jim chose Thompsons Solicitors to represent him, who are one of the partners of the Northern TUC Asbestos Support and Campaign Group, along with Macmillan Cancer Care and regional trade unions. So, thanks to a referral from his solicitor who knew about the service, Maggie Bailey, Macmillan Welfare Rights Adviser from the Group came to see Jim at home in Carlisle to offer help, advice and support, which he readily accepted. Maggie provided the energy, expertise and tenacity that Jim's illness would not allow him to and has proved invaluable.

Jim McGee said: 'This unstoppable woman contacted my doctors without let up and got them to declare Mesothelioma on an official form requesting attendance allowance. I had a phone call this morning stating that I have been awarded 100% compensation backdated for three months. Maggie is not only a shrewd negotiator on behalf of those of us who are too ill to negotiate for ourselves; she makes herself available out of hours, too. Thank you for making this 'force of good' available free of charge. Every organisation needs a 'Maggie.'

Jim's solicitor is now using Maggie's work to speed up his claim against the Glasgow shipyard where he served his apprenticeship.

Maggie Bailey, Macmillan Welfare Rights Adviser said, 'I helped Jim to make claims for Industrial Injuries Benefit and Workers Compensation and Attendance Allowance, making negotiations on his behalf with his GP and with staff at various benefit offices. People in Jim's situation need as much support as possible to ensure they get what they are entitled to and can therefore improve their quality of life whilst living with chronic and debilitating illnesses. The Northern TUC Asbestos Support Group allows me to do this and I see firsthand what an invaluable service it is for the individuals who access it."

The Northern TUC Asbestos Support and Campaign Group is a free service for asbestos victims across the North East and Cumbria. Since the beginning of 2012 the Northern TUC Asbestos Support and Campaign Group has offered support and advice to 98 asbestos victims and their families across the region, helping 63 of them to claim benefits/compensation totalling £240,593.00. Almost £85,000 worth of these entitlements has been awarded since 1^st September this year. The recipients of the funds are suffering from a range of asbestos-related diseases including Mesothelioma, Asbestosis and Lung cancer.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- Northern TUC press releases www.tuc.org.uk/northern national releases www.tuc.org.uk and www.twitter.com/tucnews

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Media contacts:

Kevin Rowan, Regional Secretary T: 0191 232 3175 M: 07766250074 E: krowan@tuc.org.uk