News | Health
Hospital in crisis over care patients
DELAYS in discharging medically- fit patients from Maidstone Hospi- tal to suitable care are causing serious problems for the hospital trust.
Chief executive Glenn Douglas
told his board key problems were lack of nursing home capacity lo- cally and a change in focus by social services, which no longer had staff based in hospitals to help. Instead the service focused on preventing people attending hospital. He added “delayed transfers of
care” had risen in the past two years and become more evident since so- cial services’ reorganisation in April. He referred to patients who had completed the acute hospital phase of their care and required intermedi- ate community hospital care or resi-
Wi-fi on wards
PATIENTS, staff and visitors at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals will be able to access wi-fi in the new year thanks to help from the League of Friends at both sites.
dential/nursing home placement. Trust chairman Tony Jones said an efficient discharge system was es- sential, particularly with winter coming. The hospital has made Romney ward available to patients requiring care. The trust has also considered providing its own nurs- inghomecapacity but this had fund- ing and staffing problems. The trust says the impact of com-
plex discharge needs had required escalation beds to be kept open, ad- versely affected length of stay and impacted on use of agency staff. “The trust cannot continue with cur- rent circumstances,” said Mr Dou- glas. It is working with social services
and Kent Community Health Trust to find solutions.
Books appeal
MAIDSTONE Hospital’s League of Friends is appealing for un- wanted books for its bookshop. Anyone with books in good con- dition to donate can call Olive Burton on 01622 690343.
The award-winning infection prevention team. (Fromleft):Jacqui Griffin, Dr SaraMumford, Sarah Fielder, Alyson Bicheno and Daniel Moore.
Infection team wins award
A TEAM from Maidstone and TunbridgeWells NHS Trust has picked up the runner-up title in this year’s Infection Prevention Team of the Year awards. Theywere recognised for their focus, effective teamwork, leadership
and for the “design and implementation of a rapid improvement programme that has had a dramatic impact on both infection and cross infection” at both hospitals. The awards ceremony in Glasgowwas attended by team members Dr
SaraMumford, Sarah Fielder and Jacqui Griffin. Dr Mumford, director of infection prevention and control, said: “We
are absolutely delighted to have come second nationally in this category. It is fantastic that all the hardwork put in over several years has been recognised.”
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