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Hermitage Lane |News


‘Delay meant I missed physio’


A WOMAN who needs regular physiotherapy after years of prob- lems with her hips missed an ap- pointment because of the traffic problems in Hermitage Lane. Pippa Turk (35), pictured right, of


Pine Lodge, Barming,whowas born prematurely, developed hip dyspla- sia in her late 20s and is now on crutches following an operation. She is a lorry driver withWaitrose


atAylesford and needs patient trans- port to get to her sessions at theNHS Preston Hall in the Churchill Centre. The journey normally takes about


10 minutes, but on Tuesday, April 4, it ground to a halt because of the pipework being laid by South East Water in Hermitage Lane. It has brought the area – already


hit by temporary lights near Maid- stone Hospital where a housing de- velopment is being built – to a standstill. Mrs Turk said: “It’s been chaos for


the past month or so and I nearly missed an appointment recently. “But this time, everywaywewent


we hit a jam and itwas all because of Hermitage Lane. It takesmean hour to get ready, because my husband has left for work and I have to dress myself. I can only stand on one leg, so Iwas getting more and more frus- trated in the patient transport. “I missed the 9am appointment


and rang ahead and asked to be put into the 9.30am session. We didn’t even make that and we had left at 8.40am. “Itwas ridiculous and Iwas so an-


noyed at the poor people who com- mute and the doctors and surgeons whocould be at Maidstone Hospital saving people’s lives, rather than sit- ting in a traffic jam.” Now Pippa is adding an extra 30 minutes to her journey time to en- sure she makes her appointment.


MAIDSTONE Hospital has urged patients to check traffic reports to avoid being late for their appointments. A spokesman forMaidstone


and TunbridgeWells NHS Trust said: "We are working with partner agencies to find the best ways to minimise disruption for everyone using Hermitage Lane. "We would urge patients to


check the latest traffic reports and to leave plenty of time for their journey. We have very flexible visiting hours so people are able to come and see loved ones at a convenient time."


“Every time I miss a session, it


puts back my recovery,” she said. “Iwant to get back tomyjob driv-


ing lorries for Waitrose and these problems are just making it further and further away.”  Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a condition where the ball and socket joint of the hip does- n't properly form in babies and young children. It is sometimes known as congenital hip dislocation or hip dysplasia (Source: NHS).


Dog walker resorts to mask


ANGELA Poletti is so concerned about the potential risk from breathing in increased levels of exhaust fumes in Hermitage Lane that she now wears a face mask to walk along the pavement beside the heavy traffic. Angela, who lives in Allington,


used to take regular walks along the road with Lottie, her one-year-old long-haired dachshund, but says she is concerned about the effect on her pet’s health. She said: “I don’t go there as


often now as I could taste the petrol from the exhaust fumes when I got home. I can wear a face mask, but unfortunately Lottie can’t.”


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