Hospital has ‘vibrant’ future
£45m in savings from its rev- enue budget. A trust spokesman said: “We
canaffordtoinvestinthe Maidstone Hospital site over time because these monies (capital monies) are separate from our revenue budget. Equally you cannot spend cap- ital monies on revenue bills. “The work is spread over six
years to ensure it is affordable, and also for practical reasons (we can't redevelop allwards at the same time or there would be no wards open for patients).” Chief executive Glen Douglas
said this long-term clinical strategy secured Maidstone’s position as a key provider of high-quality local acute and ambulatory healthcare. He saw Maidstone playing “a busy, vi- brant and pivotal role for pa- tients in the future”. The development is also linked to the delivery of wider plans within community and social care to manage people’s illnesses more effectively in their own homes and commu- nity settings. This is expected to reduce hospital admissions for all but the most acute med- ical care.
A&E targets DOWNS Mail has discovered another reason why Maidstone area residents should be taken to Maidstone Hospital A&E whenever possible. In the last 12 months Maid-
stone has beaten the 95% A&E target of four hours from arrival to exit every month, while Tun- bridge Wells Hospital, in Pem- bury, has missed it every month. A response to a Downs Mail Freedom of Information Act re- quest shows Maidstone fluctu- ated between 95.2% in February and 99.1% in May. Tunbridge Wells was as low as 85.6% in February with a best of 92.6% in August. Patients say ambulances take them to Pembury when they should be seen at Maidstone.
Good news on cards THE hospital board was told by chief executive Glenn Douglas there would be good news for Maidstone Hospital at its No- vember meeting when strategic announcements are made. He said some ward upgrades had been completed, adding to quality of care and ambience.
Director moves on DIRECTOR of nursing Flo Panel-Coates has left to take on a similar post with Barking, Havering and Redbridge Trust. She arrived four years ago after the departure of former chief executive Rose Gibb. Her deputy, John Kennedy, is interim head of nursing.
20 Malling Tiger toys for
young patients ONE of Maidstone’s newest shops has delivered a selection of its toys and art materials to the children’s ward at Maid- stone Hospital. Mark Langley, manager of
The babies cake made by midwives Zoe Manclark and Debbie Dale
Birthing centre’s good first year WHEN the midwife-led birthing centre opened at Maidstone Hospi- tal in the midst of local controversy, about 200 birthswere forecast in year one – but the 392nd was reached during a celebratory first birthday party, as compliments flowed. The centre has four bedrooms – three with double beds to ac- commodate partners, and two main delivery rooms (both offering water births and other labour aids). A kitchen is big enough to cope with a familymeal, and another room opens on to a relaxing garden created in her own time by midwife Louise Paddison. Most women are in and out of the centre with new babies within
24 hours, but for some it’s as quick as six hours. The unit is geared up for anticipated uncomplicated births and, while 35 per cent of first-time mothers can expect to be transferred in labour to a full maternity unit in a nearby hospital, almost all second and subse- quent births are completed at Maidstone. The unit is staffed by two duty midwives and a support worker. Consultant midwife and unit head Sarah Gregson praised the team for the successful launch and said they wanted to be ambassadors for midwife-led care.
To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330
TigerMaidstone, handed over a collection of jigsaws and art and craft supplies to patients. He said: “We hope that these
Tiger toys and games will brighten up children’s visits.” Ward manager for the River-
bank Unit, Mary-Ellen Gordon, said: “It will certainly help make our patients’ time here much more enjoyable.”
Getting it right THE new TunbridgeWells Hos- pital in Pembury has been open for a year and chief executive Glenn Douglas said: “Every- thing is coming together.We are getting it right a lot more.”
Satisfaction rates THE trust’s latest patient satis- faction survey shows 98% would recommend the trust to family and friends.
Latest health news from Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Continued from page one
Unit will cut number of
admissions THE large newUrgent Med- ical and Ambulatory Unit (UMAU) at Maidstone Hos- pital will assess and treat many patients referred by theirGPs orby the adjoining A&E unit.
This will reduce, by about
25%, patients needing a hospital admission. The unit includes 11 sta-
Akbar Soorm (A&E), chief executive Glen Douglas and lead physician Dr Chris Thom in the new UMAU unit atMaidstone Hospital
‘There will be no threat to A&E’ THE new unit is not seen as a threat bymanagement or clinicians to the future of Maidstone’s busy A&E department (60,000 patients a year). Lead consultant at Maidstone A&E, Mr Akbar Soorma, said the new unit and A&E would work side by side. “They will complement each other,” he explained. “It is well recognised a number of conditions can now bemanaged without the need for hospital admission.” He expects A&E will be able to treat patients faster and support improvements in the four-hour waiting-time standard.
tions for trolleys, in addition to seating, and should overnight assessments be necessary, there will be three four-bed wards and two single rooms. Currently, patients with medical conditions coming through A&E can be admit- ted tohospitalandstay ona ward overnight or longer while waiting for tests and diagnosis from a senior physician and treatment. Many of these patients
can now expect treatment within hours, rather than days. They will be assessed in
the unit straightaway by a senior physician – two new consultant physicians are being appointed.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40