News


rewarded THE dedication of long-serving members of staff at The College Practice, in College Road, was recognised at a celebratory lunch. All of the staff at the surgery en-


downsmail.co.uk Medical staff Incentive scheme for GPs


joyed a buffet with celebration cake whilst looking through old photos of current and previous colleagues. Senior manager Dr Mike Stra-


chan presented House of Fraser gift vouchers to practice manager Alaire Fridd; admin team leader Marion Shannon; administrators Lynda Foster, Lynne Mason, Na- talie Murrell, and Sandra Hearn; secretary Vicky Baker; summariser Jemma Martinez; finance assistant Debbie Hegarty; nurse manager Annie Brown; senior practice nurse Sue Lambert and healthcare assis- tant Beth Bennett. The combined service of these


long serving staff was more than 250 years.


Office conversion


OFFICES at Focus House, 6 Ton- bridge Road, Maidstone are to be converted into 10 flats. Maidstone Council has decided


that Derwen Rusper’s plan to con- vert the ground and first floors can bypass the planning process and get the go-ahead through prior no- tification.


LOCALGPs are to be asked to dis- cuss with GP peers their policies for patient referrals to consultants, as West Kent Clinical Commis- sioning Group tries to reduce workload on hospitals. This is a compulsory element of a


new voluntary incentive scheme for GP practices. Doctor surgeries are offered £1 per registered patient if they take part. Each practice must commit to a minimum of two targets linked to the group’s five-year intentions, which include: Reducing years of life lost to under 75s for circulatory disease and cancer by 5%. Increasing the number of pa- tients whose dementia is diag- nosed by two-thirds. Reducing hospital admissions for respiratory disease by 20%. Increasing take-up of psycholog-


Dr Garry Singh


ical thera- pies to 50% of those eli- gible. Ensuring appropriate planning and invest- ment in mental health serv- ices. Develop-


ing a new community children’s nursing service model to support short-term acute conditions and complex health needs. Increasing consultations pro- vided outside an acute hospital so a minimum of 10% is accessed in the community closer to patients. Reducing the number of urgent admissions by 25% by providing more care outside hospital in a


Flats proposed above supermarket


FOURTEEN flats are to be estab- lished at the former Army & Navy store inWeek Street. A Morrison’s convenience


store –MLocal – opened on the ground floor of the disused building late last year.Now, Cir-


cle Property Unit Trust has been given planning permission ap- plied to create a development of one and two-bed flats on the upper two floors. The scheme includes an open terraced area on the first floor.


FREE copy of the


Your Part-night July street lights


Street lights in selected areas across Kent will be switched off between midnight and 5.30am.


This will save around £1million per year on energy bills, help protect the environment and reduce light pollution.


To find out which lights will be swit your area and when, visit our website.


kent.gov.uk/streetlights #kentstreetlights


26 Maidstone Town June 2014 sw ched off in


Edition of the


will also be available to pick up from:-


Morrisons Supermarket Sutton Road, Maidstone


If you live in the following postcodes: ME15-9


Pick up YOUR copy from Wednesday 2nd July


Assessments idea ONE impact on practices is that morning surgeries could be reor- ganised to free a GP before 11am to visit patients likely to need hos- pital assessment. This would mean hospitals could see patients earlier in the day and reduce admissions.


plannedway. Maidstone GP Dr Garry Singh, primary care lead for the group, said: “This year’s incentive scheme is based on clinical effectiveness, re- ducing inequalities, improving ac- cess and satisfaction and encouraging practices to work to- gether. “GPs will share some details of referrals as a learning tool to en- hance their skills in delivering the best quality of care to patients.”


Landlord assault


BOUGHTONMonchelsea landlord Fergus Wilson has been fined £1,650 for hitting an estate agent. Folkestone magistrates heard


Wilson hit DanielWells after a row about a boiler.Wilson (65), of Long Lane, denied hitting him, but was found guilty. His fine includes £150 compensation to MrWells.


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