downsmail.co.uk Maidstone North Edition Maidstone North Edition


Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper


September 2017


Anger at bid to buy up homes


RESIDENTS are angry at approaches to sell their properties to a developer trying to ac- cess a potential development site behind their homes.


The site behind houses in Broomshaw Road and Rede Wood Road, is popular with walkers, but is now earmarked on Maidstone Borough Council’s Local Plan for up to 187 new homes.


Resident, borough councillor for the area, and Barming Parish Council chairman Fay Gooch, pictured, says many of those ap- proached by Taylor Wimpey have lived in the area since their homes were built in the 1960s.


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Health changes to ease hospital load


MASSIVE changes to improve health care and ease pressure on hospitals are on theway for Maidstone, Malling andWest Kent.


Faced with challenges of an in- creasing and ageing population, the budget-holding GP-led NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) says primary health care is “extremely fragile in some areas”. Akey change will seeGPpractices


scaled up to work in clusters or fed- erations (four clusters have been formed by GPs for Maidstone Cen- tral, East Maidstone, Weald and Malling) with many providing a muchwider range of treatments and services. In addition, local care hubs could


be based in larger buildings to de- liver a range of services that do not need a hospital setting but serve a population bigger than GP clusters.


By Dennis Fowle Surveys and consultationsshowed


the public supports hubs - main con- cerns were about time and distance to travel, especially by public trans- port. The CCG wants to close gaps in services with poor outcomes, espe- cially for long-term conditions and frailty. Local hospitals are not always best


to care for the frail, but services out- side hospital are not always able to cope. Every day more than 1,000 people are in Kent hospitals who could be elsewhere if services were available.


TheCCGis particularly concerned


about cancer care – late diagnosis in particular – and access to services and poor outcomes for mentally ill. TheCCGsays the local care model


also needs to: Educate the population to moni- tor, improve and manage their own health and promote self-care. Co-ordinate and integrate health and social care services. Provide an easy access service – an alternative toA&E attendance. Provide short-term care on hos- pital discharge for independent liv- ing in own residence. Avoid referrals where possible with easier specialist opinions for GPs.


01622 690290 YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT


maidstone@martinco.com 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent


Position mental health staff con- sistently in all care settings to direct and support care for patients. The CCG recognises it has to in- crease capacity in several areas and overcome current high levels of staff vacancies, turnover and skill short- ages. Health special, pages 18 & 19


webexpand.co.uk Obituaries 36 Parish Councils 37


A PCSO was unable to attend the parish council meeting at Loose; it was agreed to donate £36 towards the cost of a bench at the YMCA pre-school in Tovil; there is a danger in barbecues being lit at Brooks Field in Loose; the overhanging foliage in Newchurch Road, Tovil, does not need parish council intervention.


Crime Reports 37


TWO bay trees were stolen from a garden in Tovil; a number plate was stolen from car in Perryfield Street; a window was smashed in Carlton Gardens; A BMW was keyed in Hubble Drive; a house in Milton Streetwas broken into and a handbag and keys were stolen.


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FREE No. 245


News Wilko’s jobs fear


JOBS at Wilko in Maidstone are in danger after the retailer announced redundancies. 3


Tilly tours with Billy


TALENTED Maidstone teen Tilly Cook has been on tour with the stage version of Billy Elliott, the musical.


Local plan agreed


MAIDSTONE’S blueprint is capable of adoption, says an inspector. 8


Brothel boss jailed


A MAN who trafficked women to work in a Maidstone brothel has been jailed.


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