News | Health
delay problem DELAYS in discharging medically- fit patients from Maidstone Hospi- tal to suitable care are causing serious problem. Hospital trust chief executive
downsmail.co.uk Discharge NHS facing local cuts
Glenn Douglas told his board key problems were lack of nursing home capacity and a change in focus by social services, which no longer had staff based on hospital sites to help. Instead social services were focused on preventing people attending hospital. He said delayed transfers of care
had risen in the past two years and become more evident since social services’ reorganisation in April. Chairman Tony Jones said an ef-
ficient discharge systemwas essen- tial to the operation of the system. The hospital has already made RomneyWard available to patients requiring care. The trust has also considered providing its own nurs- ing home capacity but this created funding and staffing problems. The trust says the impact of com-
plex discharge needs had required escalation beds to be kept open, af- fecting length of stay and use of agency staff. “The trust cannot continue with current circumstances,” said Mr Douglas.
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CUTS in local NHS services are threatened now the GP-led West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group is running over budget for the first time. The group is almost halfway through the year with an over- spend of about £4m. The governing body could face difficult decisions. Most overspend relates to in- creasing activity at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals – but there are concerns too about costs of other stakeholders. Urgent dis-
Focus on lifestyle
THE NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is backing the decision to commis- sion in Kent an “integrated lifestyle” service. It would essentially be a pub-
lic health prevention service cov- ering smoking, obesity and alcohol aimed mainly at those with long-term conditions and cancer prevention. It is likely to be provided by groups of GP practices.
Faster service THE CCG received a report on
cussions are being held with the hospital trust to bring activity under control – but the problem is expected to worsen before getting better. The problems appear to be facing
many similar groups. Chief officer Ian Ayres said it was a national issue and a current political chal- lenge in a system “with a huge number of pressures”. The group is investigating urgent
steps to meet budget by year-end and prevent carrying forward a
Kent improvements to the child and adolescent mental health services, which showed “clear improvements to waiting times” and numbers waiting for treat- ment significantly reduced.
Quicker scans
WORKprogresses on improving stroke services at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals with more patients receiving a CT scan within one hour.
Special needs
A GROUP of experts is report- ing nationally on how to provide health and care for patients with
deficit into next year. These will in- clude reducing unnecessary GP re- ferrals to the hospitals; maximising effectiveness of contracts; review- ing high A&E usage; and closing Romneyward at MaidstoneHospi- tal where special care is provided mainly for the elderly. Chief officer Ian Ayres said the
group was looking at changes to some services to improve them for patients and to deliver within budget.A recovery plan should be put before the next meeting.
learning difficulties to reduce re- liance on hospital care.
Wi-fi in hospitals
PATIENTS and staff at Maid- stone and Tunbridge Wells hos- pitals will be able to access wi-fi later this year thanks to help from the League of Friend at both sites.
Nation’s best
THE hospital infection preven- tion and control team has been named the best in acute hospitals in the country after a 39% fall in clostridium difficile cases last year.
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