South October 2015

downsmail.co.uk

News High scores for hospital care

THE hospitals in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells have been given a clean bill of health after exceeding national average scores in all but one category.

Patient-led assessments of the care environment (Place) inspections take place annually at every hospital in the country. Staff and local patient represen-

tatives assess how the care envi- ronment in a hospital (or other type of treatment centre) supports pa- tients. The results are reported pub- licly to show how hospitals are performing nationally and locally to drive improvements. Local results for 2015were: Cleanliness: • Maidstone – 99.2% • TunbridgeWells – 98.78% • *Tonbridge Cottage Hospital – 100%

National average – 97.57% Food: • Maidstone – 91.66% • TunbridgeWells – 91.45%

Records just a

click away HEALTH records of about 500 pa- tients in Maidstone and West Kent are now online to help NHS profes- sionals. The care plan management system

is to be expanded by care practition- ers (including GPs). Early emphasis has been on patients most likely to benefit from this touch-of-a-button information system. Early evidence shows that ambu-

lance service staff have already iden- tified the value of the system. It is also expected to be of great value as more services are transferred in to the community and as GP surgeries form themselves in to federations.

Winning hearts

AFTER the annual assessment of West Kent CCG, NHS England has commented on an acknowledge- ment that further work is needed “to win hearts and minds of local GP members to deliver the primary and community care aspirations”. The NHS says: “A more focused clinical leadership line with member practices and newly-formed federa- tions should take forward your aspi- rations for community provision systems.”

Health message

WESTKent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is supporting the pub- lic health message that “if people look after themselves they are also looking after the NHS”. The local health and wellbeing

board is taking this forward with public health campaigns on obesity and smoking cessation.

Stanely Petherick, Stanley Pearce and Amos Vincent

Bogus callers caught by CCTV footage

CCTV images captured in Yalding helped police catch a gang of bogus callers who preyed on the elderly. Stanley Petherick (52), of Horton

Kirby; Stanley Pearce (28), of Orp- ington andAmosVincent (32), of St Mary Cray,were caught on camera in Medway Avenue, Yalding, where they tricked their way into the home of an elderly woman, stealing £300 in cash. They were jailed for a total of 16

years when they appeared at Maid- stone Crown Court. Petherickwas jailed for five-and-

a-half years, Pearce for four years and Vincent for six-and-a-half years, which included an extra two years for five unrelated fraud of- fences. The court heard how a Maid-

stone man in his 70s answered his door to men claiming to be from thewater board. He invited them in but after they left, he realised an anorak containing his wallet and house keys had been stolen. Soon afterwards, a Yalding woman in her 70s received a visit

from men saying they needed to check her pension money to see if it was counterfeit. She gave them £300 andwas told

they would bring it back after it had been checked, but she called police soon after, when she realised somethingwas wrong. They also targeted a third victim

in Gravesend who was blind, but who turned them away at the door. The CCTV footage showed the

three men leaving the property in a Vauxhall Vectra, which officers were able to trace and confirmed it had been present at the other homes targeted. The vehicle was stopped the fol- lowing day in Ramsgate and all three menwere arrested. Investigating officer Detective Constable Lisa Stevens said: “I’m pleased these three men are now behind bars but unfortunately there are others like them out there and I urge everyone to be vigilant and onlywelcome people into your home if you are absolutely certain they are who they say they are.”

• *Tonbridge Cottage Hospital – 89.31% National average – 88.49% Privacy, dignity andwellbeing: • Maidstone – 86.96% • TunbridgeWells – 94.13% • *Tonbridge Cottage Hospital – 86.43% National average – 86.03% Condition, appearance and maintenance: • Maidstone – 89.35% • TunbridgeWells – 94.42% • *Tonbridge Cottage Hospital – 97.73% National average – 90.11% Dementia friendliness: • Maidstone – 84.48% •TunbridgeWells – 92.44% • *Tonbridge Cottage Hospital – 91.98% National average – 74.51%

Although the condition, appear-

ance and maintenance at Maid- stone Hospital scored slightly below the national average (by 0.76%), it has the cleanest hospital wards of any of Kent’s acute hospi- tals, scoring 99.2%. The second phase of a multi-million pound ward modernisation programme is also underway. The national Place report identi-

fied lower scores in hospital envi- ronments for dementia patients as an area for improvement nation- ally. All three hospitals scoredwell in

this area. They also had the best scores for privacy and dignity and ward food compared with Kent and Medway’s acute hospitals. Jeanette Rooke, director of estates and facilities, added: “This year,we

have exceeded results in every cat- egory except one and the refur- bishment programme currently on-going at Maidstone will im- prove lots of areas and ward envi- ronments for our patients and visitors.” Recent improvements to the pa-

tient environment include new wayfinding and external signs; chilled water dispensers on wards; refurbished main entrance with im- proved retail and café facilities (Maidstone); replaced patient chairs and tables; refurbished ad- missions lounge; and new dis- charge lounge (Maidstone). *Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells

NHS Trust has a ward at Tonbridge Cottage Hospital for stroke patients, and this was assessed as part of the Place report.

Targets missed FOUR key health targets were missed in Maidstone and West Kent in July:  Cancer: two-weekwaiting times performances;  A&E: new four-hourwaiting time performance;  Ambulances: SECAmb per- formance below standard on all measures. CategoryA Red 1 am- bulance calls (eight-minute target) were 75% below target;  Hospital beds: new “delayed transfer of care” performance.

111 service AFTER a marked dip in perform- ance of the 111 telephone service during the winter there has since been a slow recovery, West Kent CCG has been informed. The new target is that 90% of

callers needing clinical advice will either speak to a clinician during the initial call or be called back within 10 minutes.

Ollie Knight

IN last month’s Downs Mailwe ran an article about Scouts visiting Japan in which we incorrectly said Ollie Knight attended Maidstone Grammar School. In fact, he attends MidKent College.

Shopmobility THE town centre Shopmobility scheme has now ended and the scooters have been offered to Age Concern, for use or for sale.

Help for homes

WEST Kent CCG is distributing a care pathways guidance booklet to care homes in the area.

Maidstone South October 2015 29

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12 | Page 13 | Page 14 | Page 15 | Page 16 | Page 17 | Page 18 | Page 19 | Page 20 | Page 21 | Page 22 | Page 23 | Page 24 | Page 25 | Page 26 | Page 27 | Page 28 | Page 29 | Page 30 | Page 31 | Page 32 | Page 33 | Page 34 | Page 35 | Page 36 | Page 37 | Page 38 | Page 39 | Page 40 | Page 41 | Page 42 | Page 43 | Page 44 | Page 45 | Page 46 | Page 47 | Page 48