South March 2016

News

downsmail.co.uk Patients supported in care plans

MAIDSTONE and Malling residents are to be supported towards personalNHSself-care and man- agement plans with an emphasis on smoking, alcohol intake, diet/obesity and exercise. Initially the focus will be on resi-

dents with life-threatening condi- tions, frail elderly patients and end of life care. By 2018-19 the proposal is that all patients should have a per- sonalised care plan to be developed and reviewed with the individual. Proposals include special services

to help residents achieve plans, health trainers,walking groups, vol- untary sector activities and family weight programmes. Self-care is “what people do them-

selves to establish and maintain health and prevent and deal with ill- ness.”

Self-management is defined as “actions individuals and carers can take for themselves, children, fami- lies and others to stay fit and main- tain physical and mental health.” The GP-ledNHSWest Kent Clini-

cal Commissioning Group (CCG) has agreed to implement recom- mendations to progress a national

Improvement

in staff survey STAFF have been thanked by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust after the results of a na- tional survey showed significant improvement, in spite of the serv- ice experiencing unprecedented de- mand. The NHS survey, which invited

staff to rate the trust in 32 areas, showed more would recommend the trust as a place to work or to re- ceive treatment. Staff also felt the care of patients was the trust’s top priority. While the staff survey showed

the trust outperformed the national average in eight areas, and seven within the top 20% of best per- forming trusts, 10 areas scored within the national average, and six fell below that, including one re- garding staff having to work extra hours, which put it in the bottom 20%.

Other responses put the trust in

the top 20% for ensuring staff had appraisals, relevant training and learning and development oppor- tunities. Richard Hayden, deputy director

of workforce, thanked staff for their hard work and dedication at a time of enormous challenge and said that the trust would continue to in- vest in frontline staff and services. He added: “While this is an im-

provement on last year, the trust is working with staff to help make further improvements with an aim of having no areas at all below the national average.”

34 Maidstone South March 2016

strategy for physical and mental health with co-operation from a range of partners. It says: “The ageing population in

West Kent and increased prevalence of chronic diseases require a strong reorientation from reliance on acute and episodic care towards preven- tion, self-care, more consistent stan- dards of primary care and carewell co-ordinated and integrated across partners from all sectors. “Self and community-supported

care willmeannewways of working for us all, changing how services are commissioned and delivered and theway service users access care and interact with healthcare and other professionals.” The CCG sees extensive engage-

ment not only with local GPs but also with partners in public health, KCC, district councils, carers and the voluntary sector – with achieving people’s own life goals the priority.

It says it must tackle barriers pre-

venting people benefiting from self- care (such as social isolation, housing, energy costs) by engaging with partners to offer advice, guid- ance and practical support. Dr Bob Bowes, chairman of West Kent CCG, said: “Self-care needs to work with existing services to improve the population’s

health by preventing illness but also in improving the effectiveness of medical interventions.TheCCGwill work with partners inWest Kent.” Nationally the NHS wants to see “improvements in the proportion of people who feel supported to man- age their condition, care and treat- ment”. It says the economic prosperity of Britain now depends “on a radical upgrade in prevention and public health”.

Cancer misses LOCAL cancer waiting times are still missing target. Maidstone and Tunbridge

Wells hospital trust has a re- covery action plan aimed at im- proving 62-day waits to beyond the 85% standard tar- get from this March. However demand, which

was up 22% in December com- pared with the previous year, still outstrips capacity.

Call delays THE localNHS111 call service is still seriously missing target for answering within 60 sec- onds. Latest figures show 77.9%, significantly below the 95% target.

Ofsted says it’s all good for Tiger

CHILDREN and staff at Tiger Primary School are roaring with pride after being rated as good in all areas by Ofsted. The two-day visit to the school,

in Boughton Lane, Loose was Ofsted’s first review in Tiger’s new building which opened last year, shortly after Charlotte Scott became principal. Mrs Scott said: “To be rated as

good in all areas is a fantastic achievement, especially as the school was previously judged as requiring improvement. “We are very pleased that Ofsted

has recognised the progress we have made, particularly in the last 12 months.” In the report, inspectors praised

the level of achievement across the school, the quality of teaching and learning, and the progress children have made in all areas of learning. They spoke highly of the

teachers’ strong subject knowledge

and the school’s attainment, which they recognised as above the national average. The report added: “Children are

given an excellent start to school and make rapid progress, including pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding.” The inspectors applauded Mrs

Scott for her determination to ensure the pupils’ needs come first, and commended the staff for their “hunger and sense of urgency to improve the school continually”. They also shared comments from

Singers invited to join new choir ANEWchoir in East Farleigh is giving local folk the chance to sing – and swing – with a selection of pop and rock classics from the 1940s to the present day. Voiceful, founded by Hannah Rose, meets at the Old School Hall,

Lower Road, at 7.45pm onWednesdays and is offering a free taster session to singers of any age and pitch. As a vocalist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Dutch-born Han-

nah performed in some of the world’s top concert venues and the- atres. She moved to Maidstone in 2014 and started a similar choir in Bearsted last year. Voiceful is open to men and women, aged from 16 upwards. For details call 07476 732910 or email hannarose@live.nl

the children’s families. One parent said that every morning her son “jumps up, puts his uniform on and goes to school beaming and bursting with happiness”. Tiger Primary School, which is

run by Future Schools Trust, becameMaidstone’s first new primary school in 25 years when it opened in September 2012, within its sister site, New Line Learning Academy. It was also the first school in

Kent to be launched under the Government’s free school initiative.

Summer fete

HEADCORN Primary School will be holding its annual summer fete from noon to 4pm on Saturday, June 24.

Following their success at last

year’s event, the Headcorn Ukelele Group will be performing once again. Any other local organisations in-

terested in taking part should email headcornschoolptfa@yahoo.co.uk or call Viv Westrop on 01622 891572.

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