News | Health
cancer capacity THERE are continuing concerns about the quality of local cancer care, especially first-year survival rates.
Meetings are being held between
the budget-holding GP-led NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the local hospi- tal trust.
Although early diagnosis is bet-
ter than most, the CCG says the trust needs to increase capacity for diagnostics and treatments. The CCG is non-compliant for 31-day and 62-day GP referral stan- dards and after an improved De- cember, declined in January, due to local challenges in the trust with breast cancer breaches and staffing shortages. Improved figures are expected for the spring.
Online plans MORE than 7.200 patient personal care plans in West Kent are now available online to help inform health professionals and guide them to fast and appropriate treat- ments.
Initially this service covers pa-
tients most likely to be in need, but as it expands more patients will be able to authorise inclusion.
downsmail.co.uk Concerns over Stroke units set to merge
STROKE units in four of Kent’s seven acute hospitals seem set to close as they are merged into larger, better staffed and equipped units at the other three. This appears the most likely out-
come of NHS Kent and Medway Stroke Review started more than two years ago. Minimum stroke activity for a
quality unit is seen as not less than 5,000 cases a year and only Ashford and Medway hospitals in Kent hit that figure in 2015/16.
No decisions have yet been an-
nounced on the location of future units but a key consideration is the need for emergency investigations and treatments. The aim will be to try to ensure
patients are seen at great speed. The first hour (including ambu- lance time) is seen by many as very significant and specialists say those needing anti-clot medication should get it within two hours. Selecting the right locations for the population of Kent will there-
fore be a key consideration. One unit will serve east Kent, another north/west Kent and the third has still to be finalised. No announcement has yet been
made about the future of the stroke unit in Maidstone Hospital. Its central location 30 minutes
from both Medway and Tunbridge Wells could be a key factor in its survival. TheNHSsays there will be a full
public consultation before deci- sions are taken.
Good practice improves after inspection
AN ALLINGTONGP practice has been graded “good” by healthwatchdog the Care Quality Commission in its latest report. Allington Park Surgery, run by Dr Robert Mennie and
based in Newbury Avenue, received an overall rating of good following a comprehensive inspection in November last year. Itwas rated as good for providing effective, caring, responsive andwell-led services, butwas asked to make improvements to ensure that patientswere kept safe. Aftermaking a return visit in April, the commission
recently confirmed that the practice had improved its systems and processes to address this issue. The system formonitoring the collection of prescriptions had been improved andwasworking effectively and the use of IT systems in the practicewas continually being reviewed and improved.
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Malling June 2017
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