News


downsmail.co.uk Traffic fears as park and ride axed


FEARS of a traffic influx on to Maidstone’s already-overstretched roads have been expressed follow- ing news the town is to lose one of its park and ride facilities.


Maidstone’s planning and trans- portation committee agreed it had no choice but to close the Sitting- bourne Road park and ride car park in February next year, as a re- sult of rising costs and poor uptake. But the closure could force more


than 300 vehicles a day on to nearby roads, as drivers seek alter- native places to park. Landowner Gallagher Properties


wants to increase the lease fee of the site at Eclipse Park, off M20 Junction 7, to reflect the location of the site and its proximity to the mo- torway.


Trusts’ trouble


CHIEF executive of Maidstone and TunbridgeWells NHS Trust Glenn Douglas expressed concern at the annual meeting that it was now surrounded by three trusts tackling severe problems after Care Quality Commission reports.Medway, East Kent and now East Sussex have been rated as inadequate and rec- ommended for special measures. “This presents us with challenges


and opportunities we have to meet,” he said.


GP services


WEST Kent CCG is seeking to share with NHS England commis- sioning (including the budget) of primary care services (which in- clude GP practices) in Maidstone and the rest of West Kent. It be- lieves this will lead to improve- ments in services.


SOS for staff A FREEDOM to Speak Up guardian has been appointed by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust to ensure all hospital staff are confident and encouraged to raise concerns. The trust says it wants to pro-


mote highest standards of patient care and business practices.


Crisis clinics


CRISIS clinics could be established for a six-month pilot scheme in Maidstone and Tonbridge byWest Kent CCG offering out-of-hours community-based resources for people aged 18 and over with seri- ous mental health problems. Thede- cision will be taken later this year.


Site blaze


KENTFire and Rescue Service dealt with a portacabin fire on a building site in Station Road,Aylesford. Fire crews used two hose reels to put out the fire.


10 Malling November 2015


But Maidstone Cuncil already subsidises the park and ride by more than £554,000 a year and the price hike would add to this bur- den, members heard. Cllr Ian Chittenden said he was


sad at the decision, but agreed it was the only option. He said: “Over the yearswe have


had the opportunity to look at and negotiate something in the area and we have missed that opportu- nity. There is no alternative but to support the closure – but I don’t like it. Where are all the vehicles going to go? Through town?


Through New Cut? Up London Road? I have serious concerns about this.” Committee chairman Cllr David Burton said current usage meant council tax payers were heavily subsidising each park and ride user. He said: “This has come about


not through want of trying. We have put on more modern buses but usage continues to decline.” Cllr Clive English said: “Park and


ride inMaidstone is broken. Unless we have significantly larger sites and an increased revenue stream,


the model is unviable.” The committee agreed to seek a three-month extension to the lease with Gallagher, from November to February 2016, which would give the council time to tell customers about the changes and providemo- torists with alternative travel and parking information. The council has already agreed to


look at providing additional bus services on the radial routes into town, particularly in the north (Newnham Court area) and from the south (Sutton Road and Loose Road).


Machine gift to ward


Cornwallis Ward at Maidstone Hospital has received a new ECG machine, paid for by the Maidstone Hospital League of Friends. The equipment, which cost £3,375, will allow staff to


quickly monitor patients on the ward. Ward manager Karen Dixon said: “This ECG machine


Joyce Langton with ward co-ordinator Ann Carek, ward manager Karen Dixon and volunteers Margaret Tunbridge and Helen Newman


will be a vital asset to ourward,whichwe will be able to access quickly and easily from within our own unit.” Joyce Langton, chairman of Maidstone Hospital League of Friends, said: “We are very pleased to provide the ECG machine to CornwallisWard.”


Moves to solve bed-blocking SECAmb to


Continued from page one A trust spokesman said: “We are confident of seeing further im-


provements that benefit patients at all stages of their care. “Delayed transfers of care have risen steadily over the last six months. It is important for our patients’ future well-being that they are able to leave hospital when they are medically fit and safe to do so. “We have met with Kent County Council and welcome their latest


and on-going efforts to rapidly meet any social care needs patients may have when they leave our hospitals. “We will not nowas a consequence of these positive on-goingmoves


be seeking reimbursement to support the on-going care needs of pa- tients while they are in hospitalwaiting for different social care pack- ages to be put in place.” Aspokesman forKCCsaid: “In light of the pressures experienced in Maidstonewe have been able to progress an additional service to sup- port people in their own home. This is in the form of a recuperative home care service. We will continue to work with our health col- leagues to meet the needs of patients.”


Over 5,000 babies born at centre


TUNBRIDGEWells Hospital and Maidstone Hospital Birth Centre saw 5,625 babies born in 2014 – the trust says “that is about 187 school classes”. It added: “Research shows giv-


OFFERS of help and donations have been flooding in for unaccompanied children seeking asylum in Kent. More than 170 offers of help have


been received by the county council, ranging from foster care to football coaching and teaching, sports equip-


ing birth in a birth centre is as safe for women with an uncomplicated pregnancy as in hospital. Since the [Maidstone] centre opened three years ago more than 1,300 babies have been born there.


ment, DVDs and children’s toys. KCC is putting together a pro- gramme of learning in its reception centres. Cllr Peter Oakford said: “It is humbling toknowthere are somany kind people and organisations will-


bring in GPs UNDER-fire South East Coast Am- bulance Service has appointed aGP as medical director andWest Kent CCG has been told this was likely to lead to a “culture change” in services. SECAmb has also acknowledged


the benefit of having GPs in the NHS 111 control room and has been encouraged to fund this dur- ing the winter months. GP-led CCGs in the South East


have been expressing concerns about the quality and management of ambulance services. The service will be “disaggre- gated” with separate services for Kent, Sussex and Surrey.


Practice nurses


CONCERNS grow about recruit- ment of GP practice nurses. West Kent CCG has been told there is a need to create an educational re- source.


Offers of help flood in for refugee children


ing to help.” For anyone still keen to donate


items, KCC suggests sports equip- ment, easy-reading books to help with English lessons, board games, DVDsand, for younger refugee chil- dren, crayons and colouring books.


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