Diners Take the 'Restaurant Language Challenge'

DINERS at Casa Italia on Lord Street, Southport, would do well to dig out an Italian dictionary next week. The Southport restaurant is challenging customers to order their food in Italian, with a free glass of chianti on offer for successful linguists.

The initiative, which coincides with the European Day of Languages 2004 (26 September), is part of a regional week-long campaign organised by the Regional Language Network North West (RLN NW) to get North West people involved with European languages. 

"We're encouraging as many people as possible to have a go," says restaurateur, Terry Edwards. "They need to be able to order their entire meal in Italian - and the odd word or phrase simply won't cut it with our native speaking staff! It'll be interesting to see the results."

The Restaurant Language Challenge will take place in a selection of European restaurants across the North West from Sunday 26 September to Saturday 2 October. Manager of the Government funded RLN NW, Dr Cristina Sousa, comments:- "This is a bit of fun with a serious message.

"People assume that everyone in the world speaks English, but this couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, one in five North West companies is losing business because of language barriers. I'm hoping this challenge will encourage locals to consider learning other languages. So get practicing, get ordering - and, most of all, good luck!"

Bugged Out

SEE Bugged Out with Erol Alkan, JoJo De Freq, Brendan Long & The Electric Ecstasy Club (Live)
£10.00adv Carling Academy Liverpool, 11-13 Hotham Street, Liverpool.  Event is on  Saturday 9 October 2004.   For more information or to book cal the Box Office:- 0870 771 2000 (24hr) or use the  Customer Information line:- 0905 020 3999

Wirral Hospital (Arrowe Park & Clatterbridge) in Wirral

THIS hospital has a lower than average mortality rate for the over-fifties. The hospital also performs well in terms of waiting lists for both inpatients and outpatients. 

Michael Cutbill, Director, Saga commented:- "Saga's new survey gives insight into how hospitals rate in the areas that are particularly important to people aged 50 and over. By highlighting the top performers such as Wirral Hospital (Arrowe Park & Clatterbridge), we hope to help people as they choose how and where they are treated." 

Roger Taylor, Research Director at Dr Foster said:- "Dr Foster examined a number of factors that are important to patients aged 50 and over - from waiting lists to the quality of care - in particular, mortality outcomes for that population and the level of patient satisfaction in treatment provided by individual units. As a whole the quality of patient care is improving across the NHS but we have been able to identify certain outstanding units which have demonstrated excellence." 

Michael Cutbill continued:- "People aged 50 and over are savvy consumers and a growing number will want to exercise their new health care rights which give them more choice in how and where they are treated."

The survey comes at a crucial time for patients of any age; both Government and Opposition are pushing the idea of giving people more choice over where they get their treatment. Since August, patients who have been on a waiting list for more than six months have been able to choose where they are treated. From December next year, patients will also have the right to choose where they are treated when they are referred by their GPs. 

Saga is publishing a free guide to getting the best out of the NHS and on the performance of hospitals in England and Wales. Copies of Saga's Guide to Hospitals in Your Region are available by calling 0845 300 0892 or can be ordered on the Saga web-site www.saga.co.uk/goodhospitalguide