Ambulance answers ‘chaos’ claim


THE ambulance service has re- sponded to complaints of “chaos” by a Maidstone family (Mail, March) when Claire Whittall needed an urgent transfer from the birthing unit in Maidstone Hospital to Pem- bury Hospital. The family says the ambu-


lance took 55 minutes to arrive from as far away as Dover, the driver did not know his way to Maidstone and Pembury hospi- tals and got lost on both the Maidstone and Pembury sites. Pressed by Downs Mail, the


South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) said it had to prioritise emergency 999 calls based on clinical need as it received 600,000 emergency calls per year with demand growing. The 999-call triage system al-


lows call takers to determine the level of response after ques- tions have been asked about a patient’s condition. SECAmb says it is nowmeasured against two performance standards: CATEGORY A – where a pa-


tient’s condition is life-threat- ening. The government target is


created permanent facilities in: Maidstone North (Springfield), Maidstone South (site of former ambulance station in Loose Road) and Leybourne. “Staff in our emergency dis-


patch centres constantly move ambulance crews around our areas, to ensure crews respond to incidents as quickly as pos- sible based on clinical need,” SECAamb added. “The situation changes each


time an ambulance becomes unavailable dealing with other incidents. There is no maxi- mummileage for an ambulance to respond to an incident – the closest vehicle is always sent. “Crews are given training on


Claire Whitall with her baby daughter Madison


to respond to 75% of these cases in eight minutes and 95% in 19 minutes. It claims to be beating these targets. CATEGORYC–where the patient’s condition is not life- threatening. The agreement with local commissioners is to respond in 30 minutes or 60


minutes, depending on clinical need. It is beating both targets. SECAmb uses historical 999


data to decide where to locate ambulance bases so crews can reach patients quickly. It says since the Make Ready Centre in Paddock Wood went operational last October, it has


Boughton Malherbe Council


DownsMail In touch with your parish PCSO moves on


Whittle said thiswould only in- volve British lorries. The footpath sign outside Lib-


PCSO Siobhan de Burca intro- duced her replacement, PCSO Alan Beech. She was trans- ferred to North Downs on March 16. An armed robbery at the post


office was reported in Novem- ber, but there were no crimes to report in December and January. Clerk Pat Anderson said there


had been no Speedwatch ses- sions, due to the dark mornings and the problems with the new database. The chairman, Cllr Robert Turner said speed was increasing throughout the vil- lage and that sessions should re- start as soon as possible. The clerk reported that pot-


holes in Woodcock Lane had been marked for repair. The chairman said there was a large pothole at Noah’s Ark as well as one by Greycot and at the bot- tom of Liverton Hill. The clerk reported that the


Hill would be closed for two weekends to investigate the gully problems. The clerk had requested that the gullies be cleaned, but itwas reported that not all of them had been jetted. Theclerk wastotakethisup with the drainage manager. The problem with HGVs on Liverton Hill was ongoing. A Lorry Watch scheme was sug- gested, under which residents note registration numbers of lor- ries flouting weight and height restrictions, but Cllr Jenny


32 East


erton House had been replaced. The Bowley Lane signs were


due to be replaced. They could not be re-erected as they had been damaged. Kent Highways said the grass verges on Woodcock Lane had not been registered, which means that they are owned by them. They will come out and decide whether they consider the stones are a safety hazard. The stolen signs at Liverton


Hill had still not been replaced. It was agreed that the No 59


bus service would continue on Saturday. The current contract runs untilApril 2014. TheMon- day-Friday service is being re- viewed, but changes would not take place before April. Nothing has been done about


the emergency plan.Itwas agreed that Cllrs Turner, Galton and the clerk would formulate an action plan. Arrangements for the Dia-


mond Jubilee celebrations on June 4 were being handled by the village hall committee. There will be a beacon at the top of Church Road, which will be lit from 10pm to 10.30pm. Marquees have been rented for the fete field, and there will be a band, a hog roast, bouncy castle and other events. The draft infrastructure re-


port had been distributed to all members and highlighted a number of concerns, including water supply, sustainable and


economic transport system, buses, road and rail, library, rural broadband facilities, re- fuse disposal and recycling. Lifebuoys had been put up around the reservoir in Church Road. A large amount of rubbish


had been dumped in Church Road. The clerk was to report this, although it was on private land.


There were no objections to a planning application for a three- bay, two-storey agricultural store and parking at Judge House Farm, Woodcock Lane, although a condition was re- quested that the first floor should only be used for storage. There were no objections to a planning application for repairs to a timber-framed home after fire damage. The following planning deci-


sions were noted: Asand school at Orchard Cot-


tage Farm, Grafty Green was ap- proved. Change of use of agricultural


land to recreational space at Thornden Farmhouse in Lenham Road, Headcorn was refused. Cllr Jenny Whittle updated members on the progress of the 30mph speed limit from Liver- ton Hill to Grafty Green. She also reported that the bor-


ough council had secured £1.3m to fund gypsy and trav- eller sites in the borough and she was working with the bor- ough to locate appropriate sites. She said the council should


the ambulance satnav equip- ment to guide then to the scene of emergency calls.”


MASH website CAMPAIGN group MASH (Maidstone Action for Services in Hospital) now has awebsite: www.mashmaidstone.co.uk The site includes a section for residents to report complaints and compliments about hospi- tal services.


inform MP Hugh Robertson about problems with low water pressure in and around the vil- lage. Cllr Turner said he had been approached by the gardening club asking if there was any- where where trees could be planted in the village. He had suggested up by the Chilston, and this was agreed.


Jubilee donation ADONATIONof£200was agreed towards the Queen’s Dia- mond Jubilee celebrations at the village hall. The use of the field was also given free of charge. Crime figures for the previous month included a burglary in Blind Lane and theft from a ve- hicle in Dunn Street Road. PCSO Andy Hawthorn had spoken to a resident regarding a vehicle parked inconsiderately in Dunn Street. Cllr Bill Anderson reported


Bredhurst Council


on the Rural Neighbourhood Policing and Parish Council Forum which he had attended. He mentioned the need for ad- ditional 20mph speed limit signs and roundels. KCC should be approached about this. With regard to a dedicated


PCSO for Bredhurst, he was told the parish would be linkedwith Boxley. This would mean that PCSO Hawthorn was likely to be the neighbourhood officer after the end of March. The parish council has ap-


plied for £2,000 towardsP51 You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk


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