Keeping tabs on prescriptions By Dennis Fowle
A REPORT has been issued to show how local GP practices over or underspent their budg- ets for prescribing medications in the 2012/13 year. There are four Maidstone sur-
geries in the top six for making savings, with Yalding the biggest overspender. The Maidstone under- spenders included College Road (£225,157), Northumberland Road (£206.970), King Street (£192,096) and Bearsted (£168,024). The biggest overspenders
were Yalding (£168,289), Queens Road (£92,403) and Aylesford (£80,267). The table shows results for all
62 GP practices in the newWest Kent Clinical Commissioning Group, where the doctors now hold the purse strings for most of the area’s NHS spend. It cov- ers Maidstone, Tonbridge and TunbridgeWells areas. Answering a question posed
by the Downs Mail at the June meeting, chairman Dr Bob Bowes explained there was a formula for setting a budget for every practice, and this in- cluded the required level of more expensive drugs. He sees the role of his group
to help support practices meet their budgets, and indicated
o
they would be looking at under- spends as well as overspends. “Potentially it is a solvable problem,” he said. Dr Bowes added later: “In pre- scribing medication, we aim to ensure patients get the best for their condition with least risk to them, but making good use of NHS money. One way is pre- scribing unbranded drugs where possible, which are as clinically effective as branded drugs but significantly cheaper. “Prescribing amounts to 14% of our budget and GPs’ respon-
INanattempt torestrictNHScosts, local doctors are to be monitored on hospital use by their patients. This will be done by the new GP-
led West Kent Clinical Commis- sioning Group. Therewill be three focus areas:
referrals to outpatient depart- ments; emergency admissions; A&E attendances. Thegroup says: “Practices are re-
quired to undertake internal re- views and meet with peers to discuss the outcomes, common themes and future commissioning intentions.” Practices will also have to audit
their use of various forms of care, including lower back pain (with or without sciatica), palpitations,
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sibility is to ensure this is spent wisely, to avoid eating in to money for other services. Sometimes it is difficult to work within budgets, and budget-set- ting methodology is not fool- proof.” Of the 62 practices, 23 over-
spent last year. The total West Kent returns showed an under- spend of £1,857,600 (2.84%) for February and £1,788,010 (2.74%) for March. The full year budget for 2012/13 topped £65m, with an underspend of 2.74%.
Helping GPs toe patient care lines
heart fibrillations, falls, end-of-life care and sudden attacks of breath- ing difficulties. Practice achievement is to be monitored by panel members and results will be signed off at various times throughout the year. The group will invite practices to specify any educational or training needs to support doctors. It will also ask if patient requests
for same-day appointments are met, if clinical triage by a nurse or doctor by telephone is undertaken, if open access to a clinic is avail- able or if patients are told to tele- phone for a set time. The policy is to encourage as
much care as possible in GP sur- geries or near a patient’s home to avoid costly hospital admissions.
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Pupils’ lesson
in water safety CHILDREN at East Peckham Primary School were given some homework by firefighters – learn what to do in an emer- gency and how to call 999. Rob Groombridge and Melanie Quinn, from Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s education team, visited the school in Church Lane to talk about fire and water safety. The youngsterswere learning
howtobesafeaspartofna- tional Neighbourhood Watch Week,which also included ses- sions on internet and mobile phone safety by Kent Police. East Peckham’s community warden and PCSOs talked about personal and road safety. Pupil Lily Bardsley (11) said:
“I learned that if someone falls into the river, I’d call 999 and wouldn’t go in the water as it can be very dangerous.” Year six teacher, Miss Laura Braybrook, said: “The children enjoyed throwing ropes and dressing up in the safety cloth- ing firefighters wear for water rescues.”
Bid to fell trees ROBERT Ede of Little Orchard, Old Road, Wateringbury, has applied for permission to re- move a dead cherry tree, plus a sycamore, birch and leylandii. Tonbridge and Malling Council will decide on the application.
Maidstone & Malling’s No 1 - over 83,000 copies - 4 editions Malling Edition June 2013 No. 194 Council’s gypsy problem
TONBRIDGE and Malling has a shortage of gypsy sites because it is “putting all its eggs in one bas- ket”, according to a government planning inspector. The borough councilwas dealt
a double blow as two of its deci- sions to refusepermissionforper- manent gypsy sites at Rochester Road, Aylesford andWest Street, EastMalling,were overturned in onemonthfollowingplanning in- quiries. The decisions could prevent
the council from controlling the locations of other gypsy sites. Both inspectors said the bor-
ough had underestimated the need for pitches andwas over-re- liant on additional accommoda- tion nearing completion on the KCC site in Coldharbour Lane, Aylesford. The results of these appeals
have been cited by another gypsy family,Paul andJanetteGower, in
support of their battle to stay in their caravan home in Birling Road, Leybourne, Government inspector Clive
Kirkbride upheld the appeal by Mr Stephen Dunn to remain on the land he had owned at Ayles- ford for 16 years. He wrote: “The council’s approach to meeting unmet need and some of the identified futuredemandfor sites within the borough is that in rely- ing on the additional pitches at Coldharbour Lane, not all of which are likely to be allocated to local families, it is putting all its ‘eggs in one basket’ and relying upona ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to pitch provision.” He added the council was un-
able to showa five-year supply of pitches as required by the frame- work and traveller policy. A requirement to vacate an
unauthorised site in the absence of any suitable place would
STAFF and pupils at West Malling CE Primary have plenty to cheer about after receivingaglowingreport fromOfsted. The school, which includes theMcGinty Language
Centre, was rated good overall, with some outstand- ing features, following the inspectors’ visit inMay. The report said the head teacher, staff and gover-
nors work well together as a teamand are united in their ambition to ensure that pupils develop as well- rounded individuals. Achievement is good and all groups of pupilsmake
good progress. Teachingwas good,withmany lessons having out-
standing elements. Lessons are fun and interesting and relationships between staff and pupils are good. Pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour help themto
work hard and learn well. Ofsted said the school is a calmand happy placewhere pupils say they feel very safe and that they are looked afterwell. Leadership andmanagement are good and regular
checks are made on the quality of teaching and the
progresspupilsmake.Governorshavecloselinkswith the school and knowitwell. The school which became an academy last year,
has grown in recent years to its current 204 pupils. It is regularly over-subscribed. Head teacher Darren Webb, pictured above with some of his pupils, has been at the school for four
years.He said: “Itwas pleasing that the report recog- nisedthehardworktheschoolhasput inover thelast few years. We are trying to provide a really exciting curriculumfor the children and tomake the school a place that children, parents, staff and governors can be proud of.We believe this school is special, but it’s good to have someone external to confirmit.” He said the school had become increasingly popu-
lar with parents, with improving academic results, a risingprofile inthelocal community,andstronglinks, as a church school,with StMary’s Church.
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amount to an interference of human rights, he said. He said the council had ac-
cepted a need for 12 additional pitches that would be met through 18 new pitches being built at Coldharbour Lane. “Some familieswill depend on
public pitches but there will be others wanting and able to de- velop their own land, as is the case with the appellant and his family,” saidMr Kirkbride. In the secondcase,Government
inspectorPaulDignanupheldthe appeal by JohnFuller to remainat his previously unauthorised Or- chard Farm site. Mr Dignan cast doubt that gypsies from the bor- ough would be given preference in the allocation of pitches at Coldharbour Lane. The Gower family have applied to the coun- cil for permanent use of the land they have owned for 28 years in Birling Road,Leybourne.
P8 School’s delight at Ofsted praise
Primary head teacher is suspended
PARENTS of pupils at St Katherine’s School, Snodland, have been stunned by the sud- den departure of the head teacher “for personal reasons”. Sharon Alexander has been
suspended fromher post, a year after she took over leadership of the primary school from long-serving head Allan Adams. It is understood a number of
staff have left since Mrs Alexander’s arrival in April 2012, although the 550-pupil school was judged as good in its latest Ofsted report. Deputy head Gerry Cadwal-
lader has taken over day-to-day running of the school.He said in a letter to parents: “Mrs Alexander is away from school at the present time, for personal reasons. “It has become apparent that
she will need to be away from school for longer than initially thought.
Additional support “The local authority will be
providing additional support andMrs Barbara Scott, a school adviserwillwork alongside the senior leadership team for some of the week. “Iwould like to assure you of
the continued commitment to the education andwell-being of all pupils at the school.” The school was judged to be
good in all categories including teaching, achievement, behav- iour and management after its Ofsted inspection inMarch. The report said: “The school
has been going through a pe- riod of change since the ap- pointment of the new head teacher, who has clear vision and ambition to provide the best possible learning experi- ences for pupils.” Children had good attitudes
to learning and enjoyed coming to school, resulting in above av- erage attendance. Relationships with most par- ents were considered good, but
Success in doctor phone calls battle
Mote Park a ‘victim of own success’
P10 P6
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