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downsmail.co.uk Hospital is safe, assures trust
FEARS that Maidstone Hospitalwas too small to survive an NHS shake- up have been put to rest.
THE Department of Health (DoH), West Kent Clinical Com- missioning Group (CCG) and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) have all re- sponded to MASH (Maidstone Ac- tion for Services in Hospital) with assurances about the future of Maidstone Hospital. Dr Bob Bowes, chairman of CCG,
says: “We share a clear view that the people of Maidstone deserve and should receive high-quality care, locally delivered where possi- ble.
“We are committed to the need Parking plea
to drivers INCONSIDERATE drivers have been asked to park more respon- sibly in Boxley parish after con- cern was expressed about access for emergency vehicles in some roads.
Boxley parish and borough
ward CllrWendy Hinder said car parking on the majority of roads in the parish was getting worse. “In some roads it must be al-
most impossible for refuse lorries to get access and I wonder how much time this would add to an emergency vehicle trying to gain access,” she said. Cllr Hinder highlighted the problems at a parish council meeting after residents said they could not get into their own driveways. She added: “I would ask that residents park with respect to other road users and home own- ers and where possible to park ei- ther on their own drives or outside their own houses, and not to park on verges or block foot- paths.”
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for Maidstone Hospital to develop and have a long-term future and cannot envisage a situation where both Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals do not have anA&E department. Dr Bowes pointed out two signif-
icant NHS trends, one of which would localise many services as close as possible to where people live. But the other centralises some specialist services to achieve suffi- cient activity to ensure consistent high quality. “We willwork to ensure decision making is open, based on solid ev-
idence and achieves best outcomes for patients – both our hospital sites must succeed and excel,” he said. The DoH says powers to deal
with a failing hospital trust would only be used in extreme circum- stances and patients and public would have “a proper say”. It added the powers “cannot be used as a general approach for reconfig- uration of acute services – a process that is properly led locally by NHS commissioners”. MASH chairman Dennis Fowle
said: “These assurances are impor- tant andwelcome.”
Riverside run and ride raises funds
FLAMBOYANT fundraisers ran along the banks of the River Medway to raise money for Cancer Research. Helen Grant, MP for Maidstone and the Weald and
Minister for Sport, joined the merry band of almost 150 runners for the third year of the Maidstone Riverside Run and presented the prizes. The run is organised by Staplehurst resident Caron Holden in memory of her mother Sandra Briffa, who lost her own fight with the disease in 2010. The run raised £3,000 last year and it was hoped this
year’s event would exceed that. It starts with a train journey from Maidstone to Wateringbury and competitors run the 8.6k riverside
Helen Grant with organiser Caron Holden and two of the more flamboyant runners at the finish line
path back, finishing in Maidstone town centre. Helen said: “Caron’s event is a marvellous example of communities working together, having really healthy fun and raising much needed money for charity. I was so pleased that the weather was utterly glorious”.
Seduced by choir’s Carmen Duke at Kent show By Dennis Fowle
AFTER enjoying Carmen on stage and film, Maidstone Choral Union’s static concert version at the leisure centre first seemed strange – but music and voices soonwon. Success always hinges around
Concert to raise money for new church bells For more local news,
the performance of Carmen, and Antonia Sotgiu seduced us. She was strongly supported by Katy Batho (Micaela), Nicholas Sales (Don Jose) and Darron Moore (Morales and Escamillo). However, the atmosphere was
not helped by soloists carrying bot- tles of water – surely discrete glasseswould have been better. Much of the music lent itself to
MUSIC will ring out in Holling- bourne as part of a plan to raise funds for two new church bells. All Saints’ Church in the village-
has always rung six bells – but there is space for two more. Now, ringers have enlisted the
help of the congregation and fel- low campanologists to raise £38,000 to buy two bells and re-
28 Maidstone East July 2014
store the other six. A Summer Serenade concert is planned in the church on Satur- day, July 19, starting at 7.30pm, when soprano Kathryn Norman and bass-baritone Brian White will sing light opera, songs from the shows and popular classical pieces, accompanied by Richard Kemp. The £10 tickets include a glass of
the confident and powerful orches- tra – but the danger in the vastness of this auditorium is that the 60- voice choir has difficulty compet- ing. Perhaps it could be projected more strongly. It was a performance worthy of
much stronger support. The centre was sparsely filled – worrying for this long-standing union in the light of heavy and increasing costs. Maidstone Choral Union will stage aWorldWar One Commemoration Concert at All Saints’ Church, Maidstone, start- ing at 7.30pm on Saturday, No- vember 15. Proceeds will go to Help for Heroes.
wine and light refreshments. Bellringer Pam Nash said: “The
bells were restored and re-hung in 1976, but there was always space left for two lighter weight bells, to encourage more young people and women to take up ringing.” Tickets for the concert can be ob-
tained by calling Pam on 01622 880309 or Fred on 01622 745891.
Diabetes services
CONSULTANT-led specialist serv- ices for diabetes will be available in four locations inWest Kent by De- cember, says the NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group. Staff from many GP surgeries
have completed specialist diabetes training so thatmore than 200,000 patients can receive services in the community rather than in hospital.
Monthly prescription
TOavoid wastage patients willnow be given prescriptions for a 28-day period but GPs have discretion to prescribe for a longer period.
THE Duke of Kent will be guest of honour at this year’s Kent County Show n Detling. The show’s patron will be there
on Friday, July 11, to celebrate the event’s 50th year at the Kent Show-
ground.HRHThe Duke of Kent be- came patron of the Kent County Agricultural Society in 1975 and last visited the show in 2011. He will officially open the Maid-
stone Exhibition Hall and tour the show with the society’s president, Lady Astor of Hever.
Charity car park
THEMCCHSociety has applied to build a car park at its base in 84 Holland Road, Maidstone. The car park would mean an-
other 10 spaces for the charity, which helps people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs. Maidstone Council will decide the application.
Council correction
IN last month’s article “Tribute to hanged man” we said Gordon Newton was a former councillor. This is incorrect; Cllr Newton is a serving member on Maidstone Council.
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