Big maternity campaign blow


CAMPAIGNERS have had to ac- cept defeat over securing a judi- cial review of the decision on Maidstone’s maternity services. But they say the battle goes on. MASH - Maidstone Action for Services in Hospital - launched a public fighting fund and worked with MP Helen Grant, doctors, councillors and news- papers for a review of Health Secretary Andrew Lansley’s de- cision to allow full, consultant- led maternity services to be switched to the new Pembury Hospital - leaving Maidstone with only a midwife-led service. The legal advice was that the challenge would be too risky. With the high level of proof re-


AMAIDSTONE private hos- pital has honoured 54 staff for providing 561 years of combined service. Staff at BMI The Somer-


field Hospital were pre- sented with long service pins for their hard work and dedication to patients. Exec- utive director Connie Stocker presented them with their pins over two special evenings at the hospital in London Road. She said: “It’s fantastic we can boast that we


have such dedicated people working here, it says a lot about the hospital as a workplace. I’m very


quired, there was less than a 50% chance a judge would find against Mr Lansley. MASH chairman Dennis Fowle said: “We may not beat him on legal grounds but morally he should be ashamed.” The case would have cost


about £30,000 – and more than double that if it were lost. Over £10,000 had already been pledged or given to the fund, which has now closed. MASH and local politicians


are now pressing for 24-hour consultant-led obstetrics and 24-hour consultant-led inpa- tient children’s services at Maidstone Hospital in Her- mitage Lane.


The campaign to restore


core services to Maidstone Hos- pital will be considered when the annual meeting of MASH is held at Maidstone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone on Friday May 20 (7pm). By September, Maidstone will


have lost these services to the new Pembury Hospital: emer- gency and orthopaedic surgery, consultant-led maternities, chil- dren's ward, gynaecology, chronic pain unit. Chairman Dennis Fowle said: "MASH hopes to build up the strength of our campaign team and wel- comes support at the annual meeting."


Hospital staff loyalty rewarded with 25-year pins


proud of the team and de- lighted that so many of our departments were repre- sented at the awards.” Two women received 25-


Somerfield Hospital staff members


year pins – staff nurse Gly- nis Davies and imaging manager Cheryl Beames, who said: “I really enjoy working at the Somerfield. I’ve had the opportunity for promotion and develop-


ment. It’s a very happy environment to work. It's great to be awarded something to recognise our hard work, but also to be able to celebrate with colleagues.”


Birthing unit by


September WORK has now started on building the new stand-alone birthing unit at Maidstone Hos- pital and is scheduled to be completed by September when consultant-led births will be transferred to Pembury Hospi- tal. It is expected to take 200-250


births a year – a choice made by women who are expecting births with no complications.


A planning application has


been submitted for between 140-300 extra parking spaces for Maidstone Hospital – to be sited in front of the hospital be- tween the child nursery and Hermitage Lane.


Parking for Pembury AN extra 100 parking spaces for visitors have been added to the new hospital in Pembury. Tunbridge Wells Borough


Council’s planning committee approved the plans after con- cerns were raised by patient groups and local residents that there were not enough spaces at the 512-bed hospital. Now, there will be a total of


1,300 spaces - 950 for staff and 350 for visitors - when the rede- velopment is completed in early 2012, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said.


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