Concerns about NHS 111 helpline
THE NHS 111 helpline has come under criticism from Ton- bridge and Malling Council, which has compiled a list of residents’ concerns about the service and its impact on A&E. In a report to the council’s communities and health advi- sory board, the council’s chief executive, Julie Beilby, recom- mended sending the list of con- cerns to various NHS organisations and KCC. Coun- cillors voted in favour of Ms Beilby’s recommendations and the list of concerns has been sent. Ms Beilby said callers who di-
alled 111 were often referred to a local ambulance servicewhen other forms of assistance might be more appropriate. She said ambulances and paramedics were being unnecessarily de- tained for up to four hours at A&E, at Maidstone Hospital and TunbridgeWells Hospital, Pem-
A WALK in the woods has raised about £30,000 for Aylesford-based Heart of Kent Hospice. Almost 1,200 supporters, friends,
volunteers and staff took part in the 26th BluebellWalk, a six-mile circu- lar route across theNorthDownsand through theprivately-ownedbluebell woodswithin the Torry Hill Estate, to the north of Harrietsham. Walkersweregreeted at theendof
the walk by the hospice’s patron, Lady Monckton, and enjoyed a ploughman’s lunch provided by Sainsbury’s in Larkfield. Organisers said they were de- lighted with the turnout and the amount of money raised.
Toilet water ‘could be drinking water’
TOILET water from Aylesford could be recycled in the River Medway before flowing out of our taps if South East Water fails to find the 145 million extra litres of water it needs by 2040. The suggestion is one of a number put forward in the com- pany’s “critical” water plan. Treated wastewater from Ayles- ford Wastewater Treatment Works and another plant in East Sussex would be “put back into local river systems and then
A SEASON of lunchtime con- certs continues at All Saints’ Church in Mill Street on Thurs- days through the summer. The concerts start at 1.05pm. Drinks are available, and a col- lection will be taken and do- nated to a charity chosen by the performer. July 18: Bass baritone Brian
later treated it to make it safe to drink,” the plan stated. A South East Water spokesman said: “Most of this wastewater comes from the home, ie sink, toilet, bath, washing machine etc, together with some surface water drainage.” Treatedwastewater currently
runs out into the sea but under this proposal, the water would be taken further downstream and treated again to a higher standard.
Programme of lunchtime concerts
White (Maidstone Christian Care) July 25: Recorder and guitar music by Sally Richards and Tessa Protheroe (ChYps) August 1: Organist Gover James (Demelza House Hospice) September 26: Organist David Flood (Canterbury Cathedral Appeal)
bury, so they could pass patient information to the triage nurse. Lengthy and seemingly irrele-
vant questioning of callers; long waiting times at A&E; a lack of knowledge of out-of-hours serv- ices by NHS 111 staff; and the relocation of ambulances from Tonbridge and Sevenoaks to Paddock Wood were also criti- cised in Ms Beilby’s report. In addition, residents were concerned that the lack of refer- rals to local out-of-hours serv- ices could lead to their closure, she added. The list of concerns has been
sent to NHS Direct, the Maid- stone and TunbridgeWellsNHS Trust, the West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group and the South East Coast Ambulance Service as well as KCC. Com- ments from the agencies will be circulated among members and, if necessary, considered at a fu- ture advisory board meeting.
Walkers boost hospice fund
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