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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Lots of pressure, no change Dear Sir – With reference to the article in the May edition, headed “GPs fighting to keep control of their resources”, I couldn’t allow the response from the Department of Health to go without challenge. While the decision of Maidstone & Malling group to merge with West Kent Weald group was taken at a local level, this was due to the immense pressure put on both groups for a number of months by the Strategic Health Authority. All over the country there are many groups of practices of a similar size to Maid- stone &Malling group, who have been pres- sured to merge with larger groups by their health authorities, and it is very difficult to believe that each of the health authorities involved did this without any guidance or pressure from the DoH. An interesting rumour that is circulating


is that there is a group of practices in the Swale area who are of a similar size to Maidstone & Malling group. The Swale group could not find a larger group to merge with, and has been told by the SHA that it must become an authorised Clinical Com- missioning Group. Obviously it must be much more financially viable than Maid- stone & Malling. Unless the larger group comes up with a


very robust set of “locality rights” that gives practices responsibility and ownership of services for their locality, I fail to see how a management group covering 65 practices, and based in a central location will be any differ- ent from the PCT structure we had before. An interesting project would be to com-


pare themanagement costs and structure of the old PCTs and SHA with that of the new NHS Commissioning Board, CCG manage- ment and the other organisations that are being created, to see howmuch has changed in reality. In these days of austerity, I’m not con- vinced that the management salaries in the current and new organisations (paid for by us, the taxpayers) will reflect well on the value being required by a lean and effective NHS, bearing in mind that the NHS will have to make huge economies to manage their existing and future budgets. It would certainly not surprise me if An-


drew Lansley is not the Health Secretary in two years time, as I think he has been well


Three days of fun


at County Show SIX food courts, music, entertainment and appearances from TV presenters John Craven and Adam Henson will be among the attractions at this year’s Kent County Show. The show promises something for everyone, with arena displays, live- stock, floral art, trade stands – and even the chance to fly with a Spitfire. The show takes place at the Kent Showground, Detling, on July 13, 14, and 15, from 8am to 6pm. Organised by the Kent County Agricultural Society, it usually attracts over 80,000 visitors. The animals are a major draw and its equine and livestock judging attracts en- trants and spectators from far andwide. The Secretary of State for the Depart-


ment of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Caroline Spelman, will be among visitors on the Friday, when the legendary WW2 fighter plane, the Spit- fire, will take to the skies.


You can write to us at: Downs Mail, 2 Forge House, Bearsted Green Business Park, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4DT or e-mail: info@downsmail.co.uk


and truly “Yes Ministered” by the civil ser- vants at the DoH. The changes that are being enacted are so bureaucratic that it will be very difficult indeed for the changes he originally envisaged being implemented successfully and the blame for any failures in those changes will be laid squarely at his door, rather than themandarins at the DoH. Jerry Cooke, North Street, Barming


Cash ruled school choice Dear Sir – I refer to the Downs Mail (May 2012) and the comment from Rev John Cor- byn, governor at Bearsted and Oakwood Grammar School. I concur; do things ever change? Now


aged 86, way back in 1936, my parents and I were invited by my junior school head- master to discuss my education. I had quite enjoyed school and did fairly well in most subjects, but during this period of depres- sion, my father had only been partially em- ployed. I had hopes of probably going on to gram-


Museum double standards Dear Sir – I have just read your article in the May edition about the opening day for the Maidstone Museum and I am astounded that the borough council has been able to give itself planning permission to obliterate the facade of the old museum. I feel sure this building must have listed building status, and any proposal to build the “metal box” in front of this very attrac- tive old building by amember of the public would have attracted an automatic refusal of planning permission. Later in your edition I found an article


“Door blocked”, concerning the refusal of listed building consent for the replacement of a wooden front porch with another made of oak in Bearsted as it “would fail to pre- serve the special interest of the Grade II listed building, as the loss of the existing door would result in the loss of an impor- tant historical feature”. In my opinion, this objection would have


been justified in refusing the extension of themuseum over the facade of the museum. To grant permission for this development smacks of double standards by the borough council.


Mike Muggridge, Norman Close, Maidstone


mar school, and then, who knows, the like- lihood of university. Speaking to my mum and dad, the head- master asked if were able to pay for my uni- form, books etc. They replied they had just enough to feed us on, with precious little left over. Well, unfortunately, the headmaster ex- plained, a secondary school was all there was available. And so it turned out. I will have to mention here that my school was in the borough of Croydon (Tory controlled). My education being completed at the age


of 13, we eventually evacuated to the Mid- lands and, at the age of 18, I enlisted in the RAF and became qualified for training as a navigator. You can probably guess my po- litical stance. That all happened about 76 years ago.Has anything altered for the better? Enough said.


AC Gibbs, Tovil Green Court


Education failing children Dear Sir – I understand concerns expressed (letters, May) by Brian Thomas (Maidstone and Malling NUT) for pupils about the grammar school selection system. But he fails to recognise the current edu- cation system is largely failing our nation (and taxpayers who invest so heavily into it) and the many pupils unable to find jobs, because foreign young people are so often selected ahead of them by UK businesses. The Government is rightly very worried


as it tries to strengthen our nation and re- solve desperate inherited economic woes. It is reversing the dogma against grammar schools with their proven track record of ac- ademic excellence. Dennis Fowle, president, Downs Mail


Singer Tabitha


wins top title TABITHA Reynolds’ outstanding voice won her the title of Maid- stone and Mid Kent’s Young Musi- cian of the Year at the Hazlitt Theatre. Tabitha (18), a music scholar at


King’s School,Rochester, haswon an entrance scholarship to study as a mezzo-soprano at the Royal College ofMusic. Amember of Kent County Youth


Orchestra, she is part of a triowith two other contestants – runner- up Rosie Judge (violin) and Fraser Bowles (principal cellist with Maid- stone Youth Orchestra). Nine finalistswere chosen foran annual competition, which is run by the Rotary clubs of Maidstone and Dawn Patrol. Tabitha is pictured left with


Rosie Judge. You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk Town 37


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