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GPs leading NHS revolution MailMarks
LOCAL GPs have now been in
control of most of our NHS budget for about 18 months and after getting organised, they are now warming to their massive task. Twelve GPs selected by their peers, supported by a strong management team, make up the NHSWest Kent Clinical Commissioning Group and currently have a £480m budget to provide services for a population approaching 500,000 mainly in Maidstone, TunbridgeWells and Tonbridge. As decreed by Government they took
over the task from a primary care trust. I have regularly attended governing meetings of both and am now convinced we have the right professionals doing the job. There can be no doubt our GPs more
fully appreciate patient needs and this is so often reflected as they make difficult financial decisions, set to become tougher during the next few years. The group’s challenge is to spend that budget as efficiently as possible, not just to maintain quality of services but to improve them. The pattern for its Fit for the Future campaign now becomes more visible. Of importance is that many more services are available in the community – in our homes, in enlarged, more sophisticated GP surgeries, in clinics and from specialist professionals. The direction is away from over-stretched and very expensive hospitals.
More room for frail
Dear Sir – After the recent article in the Downs Mail I would support the need for pensioner parking. My parents, who live in Maidstone and
do not drive, are aged 83 and 86. Both have limited mobility but are not entitled to a blue badge just because they are pensioners. I take them out shopping and to garden centres and I amin support of extra space-allocated parking. I also work for the Alzheimer's Society
and take my clients out in the car for social support, shopping, lunch etc, so the same applies and there is a need for allocated parking.
Alzheimer's is not a reason for a blue
badge, but the need to support sufferers safely in and out of the car would be so much easier with extra space. Name and address supplied
J8 link road needed
Dear Sir – I and many others believe something will get built at M20 Junction 8 eventually.
Contact our team ...
Stephen Eighteen Editor
stephen@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 231
42 Maidstone Town February 2015 Diane Nicholls
Assistant editor
diane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 232
Jane Shotliff Journalist
jane@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233
Dawn Kingsford Journalist
dawn@downsmail.co.uk 01622 734735 ext 233
DENNISFOWLE President
dfowle2011@aol.com
The group also concentrates on running a tight ship financially without impacting unduly on key patient needs. For example, you may be prescribed more generic medications and fewer antibiotics. In addition, GPs are encouraged to prescribe less, but not at risk to patient health. Members of the public will be encouraged to take greater responsibility for their own health, with emphasis on obesity, smoking and exercise. Greater efficiency and use of NHS staff
and facilities will also feature strongly. The proposal for all our personal health records to be available to professionals at the touch of a computer button is an example of saving NHS and patient time and enabling faster, informed decisions. We are at the beginning of a revolution
in how many NHS services will be supplied. If the NHS is to survive as a mostly free service to all, we must trust these GPs to protect our interests.
Beating floods THE coalition Government has pledged
£17m for flooding measures and local MP Helen Grant says she is confidentKCCwill organise match funding one way or an-
It is better to discuss and benefit from it
than to lose out totally if an appeal is granted in the future. A link road for the area, unfortunately not supported, would be positioned far enough away from villages and the argument for "putting off visitors to Leeds Castle" is utter nonsense. We need this road. Jenny Sutton,Willington Street
Ugliest building needs help
Dear Sir – The Travelodge hotel in Maidstone town centre was opened in 2010, by no means the most pretty of buildings but nevertheless created more business opportunities and jobs for Maidstone, which is great. But how come after a short time it is already showing ageing symptoms such as faded colour and, more seriously, that horrendous rust that is taking over the building’s fascia? Every time I pass by it is an eyesore. During the past few years I have seen a
huge improvement in Maidstone’s centre, where I am sure a lot of money has been
The Travelodge in Maidstone just after it was built – free from rust but still not pretty
spent to give it a well-deserved facelift, but surely someone from Maidstone Council can point out to this company that they could maintain their building a bit better? Not for nothing was it voted the ugliest building in town. Brian Penaloza, by email
other in these severe financial times. Ms Grant led the local campaign and
chaired a series of high-profile meetings on the subject of flooding prevention. In recent years Yalding has twice been inundated by flood waters and human suffering has been intense and prolonged. Sadly a repeat is very likely unless the Leigh Barrier is extended, hopefully by 2020. Unfortunately the campaign has been sullied by electioneering with local candidate Jasper Gerard belatedly attempting to divert credit in the Lib Dem direction. Let’s hope he can now work with Helen Grant’s team and KCC to help see all funds raised and the vital job done. Once again – here’s to a clean election fought on serious issues.
In the dark over parking ENTERING a car registration
number to buy a parking ticket is a bind – but how do you do it in the dark? Twice I faced this problem in Maidstone recently – once at All Saints’ car park and then in Hart Street. The little buttons are tough enough to hit in daylight and impossible if you cannot see the right ones.
Maidstone Council must either provide adequate lighting or change the system. How much would it lose between friendly motorists if it dropped the registration system at night or accepted a token gobbledygook registration?
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