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News GPs look at health challenges By Dennis Fowle


THE health challenges facing the area have been highlighted by NHSWest Kent Clinical Commis- sioning Group (CCG) in its latest reports. The group, mostly GPs, who con-


trol most of the local NHS budget, has pinpointed:  Increasing needs of an ageing population.  Lack of integrated information systems.  Lack of integrated health and so- cial care teams in the community to


Quality mark


for hospital MAIDSTONE Hospital’s en- doscopy unit has earned national accreditation. The JAG (Joint Advisory Group


on Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) quality mark recognises high stan- dards of patient care, safety and professionalism. Maidstone Hospital redeveloped


its endoscopy unit after the Mid- Kent treatment centre closed two years ago. It is now a major referral centre, offering patients procedures such as camera checks of the lungs, diagnostic and palliative proce- dures for those with pancreatic can- cer and endoscopic ultrasound. The hospital’s consultant gas- troenterologist Dr Bijay Baburajan said: “Only 10% of units pass their JAG accreditation visits first time.”


Executive director Connie Stocker (on bike) leads her Sport Relief cycling team


Medics clock up charity miles


CONSULTANTS and staff at Somerfield Hospital, Maidstone, got in the saddle for Sport Relief and raised more than £140. The team of 34 took turns on a static bike in the physiotherapy depart-


ment to cycle 108 miles over seven hours. Physiotherapy manager RobWaite, who organised the challenge, said; “It’s been superb to see so many people getting involved.”


Police staff service recognised


MAIDSTONE officers were among those recognised at Kent Police’s latest awards ceremony. Certificates of merit were


awarded to officers and control room staff whoworked tirelessly to save lives, went the extra mile to catch suspects and bring offenders to book. The awardswere presented at the central response command awards ceremony at the Kent Police Train- ing School. PC Anita Chidwick was


awarded a certificate of merit after assisting with an incident in Maid- stone when she was off duty. In March 2013, PCChidwickwas driv- ing through Maidstone when she saw a man running in and out of traffic causing a danger to himself and motorists. She reported the in- cident and went to approach the man, but he ran off towards the town centre, hitting cars, walking on vehicles and assaulted a passing motorcyclist. PC Chidwick chased him until patrols arrived. When he was being arrested he became vio- lent and punched PC Chidwick in


Call handler Catherine Newton, PC John Risby and PC Anita Chidwick


the face. She remained calm and continued to help officers restrain the man. He was charged with ac- tual bodily harm, criminal damage, assault by beating and assaulting a constable. He was sentenced at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court to seven concurrent days in prison for each offence. PC John Risby was awarded a certificate of merit after using CPR and a defibrillator to treat a man who had collapsed in Maidstone in April 2013. PC Risby, who was off duty, stopped to assist others help- ing the man. South East Coast Am- bulance Service and the air ambulance arrived and PC Risby


continued to administer CPR while theyworked on the man for 90 min- utes. Sadly, he later died. Call handler Catherine Newton


was awarded the certificate of merit after taking a call from someone re- porting a man making threats at a hotel in September 2012. The man was reportedly carrying a firearm. Catherine spoke to the caller for al- most two hours while armed offi- cers attended. She issued clear instructions to ensure they also stayed calm and safe. Catherine, who had been working as a call handler for about nine months, showed diligence and high-level call handling skills.


The money gap


THE CCG says if changes are not made in the West Kent health services there will be a widening gap between income (currently about £482m) and a projected spend growing by 2018/19 to £545m.


support vulnerable patients in their usual place of residence.  Inability to move patients on to rehabilitation pathways,  Insufficient capacity outside of


acute hospitals, meaning patients stay in acute beds longer than nec- essary.  Insufficient elderly mental infirm placement beds.  Delivering 18-week referral to treatment commitment.  Delivering timely reports of di- agnostic investigations, though tests are achieved in target time.  Higher than desired number of patients admitted to acute hospi- tals for end-of-life care.  Gaps in expected levels of de- tected disease leading to health in- equalities.


 Opportunity for patients with long-term conditions to be more in- volved in their own condition man- agement and receive more care outside of hospitals.  Timely provision of equipment to keep patients at home.  Delivery of desired ambulance response times.  Recruitment to specific specialist roles.  Timely access to children and adolescent mental health services.  Timely availability to improving access to psychological therapies services.


Tax bills for parishioners


TAXPAYERS in Boughton Malherbe pay less council tax than in any other parished area in Maidstone. The 2014/15 precept for the parish,


which has one of the lowest popula- tions in the borough, is £5,067.76 – an annual charge of £23.56 per band Dproperty. At the other end of the spectrum


is Leeds, where band D residents will pay £84.09 over the year. Other parishes are: Broomfield


and Kingswood £80.10; Teston £67.41;West Farleigh £65.35; Head- corn £64.92; Tovil £57.90; Hunton £57.10; Detling £56.56; Yalding £56.48; Loose £55.02; Staplehurst £54.93; Marden £52.74; Bredhurst £51.83; Harrietsham £51.65; Chart Sutton £50.80; Ulcombe £47.50; East Farleigh £47.45; Sutton Valence £47.45; Nettlestead £45.36; Linton £44.10; East Sutton £43.86; Coxheath £41.08; Lenham £40.89; Boughton Monchelsea £40.74; Otham £39.88; Stockbury £39.50; Collier Street £37.82; Hollingbourne £36.15; Lang- ley £35.08; Barming £32.94; Thurn- ham £30.08; Downswood £30.04; Bearsted £27.12 and Boxley £24.34.


Parish objects


to retail plans BEARSTED Parish Council has raised an objection to the redevel- opment of the shopping village at Newnham Court, near M20 Junc- tion 7.


Although Land Securities’ plan-


ning application for a development that will include largeWaitrose and Debenhams stores is for land out- side the parish, it was felt that it would generate excessive amounts of traffic onto roads in Bearsted. Councillors also argued it would


harm the viability of Maidstone town centre and would increase reliance on cars. Aletter of objectionwas to be sent to Maidstone Council.


Maidstone East April 2014 33


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