News RNLI’s dance


THE RNLI Barn Dance takes place on Friday, March 2, at 7.30 pm in Fant Community Hall. The ticket price of £10 includes


supper but you must bring your own drinks and nibbles. To book tickets and meals please contact JohnAshbolt 01622 725435 orAlan Cocks 01622 761004.


Park proms dip


COUNCIL chiefs are expecting a dip in attendance at the 2018 Proms in the Park after agreeing to intro- duce an admission fee. The Whatman Park classical


event was free but the council claims it can no longer cover the running costs. Tickets cost £7.


ClassA arrests


TWO people have been arrested in Maidstone on suspicion of permit- ting premises to be used for the supply of classA drugs. A man, 53, and a woman, 43,


were arrested at 1pm on Friday January 19. Two mobile phones were seized by officers as part of the investigation. The pair, from Ringlestone,were subsequently re- leased under investigation.


downsmail.co.uk


Acorn bounty ensures a healthy oak population


KENTISH oak trees enjoyed a spectacular acorn harvest in 2017 – helping to ensure its future as one of the county’s enduring symbols of strength and vitality. Oaks had a plentiful ‘mast’ year –


when the tree fruits excessively to ensure it cannot fail to procreate – but last autumn’s crop was bigger than many observers have ever seen. Tree surgeon and naturalist Theo


McCausland, who lives near Lang- ley with wife Beth and their two sons, said in some woodlands the acorns lay like carpets up to three inches deep. Father of two Mr McCausland,


pictured right, took four 85 litre bar- rowloads of seeds away froma tree in his own garden in an effort to germinate and replant seedlings elsewhere. He added: “This was a kind of mast year many people haven’t seen before, such was the sheer volume of acorns. “Last autumnwas incredible. I’ve heardmany people talk about it.”


Mr McCausland said there is no


other indigenous species of British tree which supports


as


many forms of wildlife. He added:


“The oak is an iconic and ter- ribly impor- tant tree and themast years, which happen every four or five years, are a natural insurance policy.”


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Commercial & Domestic Recycling Services


But, according to the Woodland


Trust, the bounty can come at a price – Lyme disease.Aspokesman said: “It is thought that in mast years, incidences of Lyme disease across theUK could increase. “The increase in foragingmateri-


als for smallmammals such asmice causes booms in their populations. Mice carry this tick-spread disease so themore that survive thewinter themore theywill infect the follow- ing spring.”


downsmail.co.uk Improvements


after incidents AGROWTHis serious incidents at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals has ledWestKentCCGto support the hospital trust in mak- ing improvements. Serious incidents have risen from


two in 2015, seven in 2016 to 16 in 2017. Three ‘never events’ – serious in-


cidents that are entirely preventa- ble due to national guidance – have occurred recently; one administra- tion of a nerve block to the wrong arm and the other two concerned retained swabs. Investigations con- tinue. In another recent report, Maid-


stone and Tunbridge Wells hospi- tal trust reported 12 serious incidents in the category of ‘abuse/alleged abuse of adult pa- tient by staff.’ There have also been two serious


incidents relating to abuse of child patients by staff, one a child with complex needs. The trust has recently appointed


a learning disability nurse. The hospital trust is nowdriving


compliance with safeguarding training; improved communica- tionswith and between teams; and improved staff understanding of ‘consent.’ The company providing security


www.gboxkent.com 01233 660 099


services in the two hospitals has changed.


Better mental


health services LOCAL services in mental health are set to improve with a decision by NHS West Kent Clinical Com- missioning Group (CCG) to allo- cate extra funding. The GP-led group is appointing


a newleadmanager to improve ac- cess to psychological therapies and will develop “integrated service pathways” for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pain and diabetes. The Five-Year Forward Plan out-


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lines a commitment to expand psy- chological therapies to enable 25% of people with depression or anxi- ety disorders to access services each year by 2020/21 (current target is 5%). Investment needed to improve


these services is £420,835 in 2019/20 and £709,843 in 2020/21.


£3.4mis saved LOCAL GPs have been encour- aged to be more efficient in pre- scribing medicines and, so far this year, it has led to a saving of £3.4m inWest Kent.


Health | News


Rise in cancelled operations in Kent - new figures THE number of cancelled non- emergency operations in theMaid- stone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust rose from 521 in the last full year, up from 362, according to newly-released figures. The Medway NHS Foundation


Trust was the only trust to have a fall with 405 operations called off. The year before it halted 419. The statistics, released by NHS


England, take into account proce- dures called off on the day a pa- tient was due to arrive, after they had arrived or on the day of their operation for “non-clinical reasons”. Among the reasons why opera-


tions are cancelled can include a bed or surgeon being unavailable, equipment failure and admin er- rors. A spokesman said that once an 'elective operation' has been cancelledwithout notice, the hospi- tal has to reschedule to avoid await ofmore than 28 days. Across the county, the number of breaches of the '28 day rule' are


also recorded with 116 recorded in 2016-17, up from81 in the year be- fore. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells had 170 cancellations in the same period and 14 breaches, 119 operations called off and four breaches atMedway and Dartford, and Graveshamhad 84 lastminute cancellations but no breaches of the 28-day rule. In 2016-17 period, the East Kent


Hospitals was the worst offender with 44 breaches, Medway had 37 andMaidstone and TunbridgeWells had 25. The trend is continuing into this


year according to the first two quar- ters of the 2017-18 data nowavail- able. Until last September there were 251 cancellations in East Kent Hospitals and 28 patientswhowere not treated within 28 days.


Experience key as trust appoints chief executive


A NEWchief executive has been appointed to run Maidstone and Tun- bridgeWells NHS Trust (MTW).


Miles Scott has over 30 years’


experience in the NHS encom- passing acute, community and mental health. He will join MTW from NHS


Improvement (NHSI), where he had been Improvement Director for the last 18months. He was chief executive of St


George’s University Hospitals Foundation Trust from 2011 to 2016 – the finances reportedly col- lapsed in the final two years in charge, leaving a massive £56m deficit. AnMTWspokesman said: “We


are obviously aware of stuff that has been reported butwe took his career as awhole. “He does have very extensive


experience.” Previously, Mr Scott was chief


executive at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (2005 to 2011) and Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (2001-2005). Most recently, he hasworked at


a national levelwithNHSI, focus- ing on its establishment as a new national organisation and leading


Miles Scott is the new chief execu- tive of the trust which runsMaid- stone Hospital


the nationalAmbulance Improve- ment Programme with NHS Eng- land. MTWchairmanDavidHighton,


said: “I am delighted that Miles will be joining us as our newchief executive. “He brings with him extensive experience at all levels in theNHS.


Our ambition, together, is to con- tinue to make MTW an excellent place for care which is under- pinned by financial stability. “Iwould like to take this oppor-


tunity to thank Jim Lusby for the invaluable contribution he made while fulfilling the role of interim chief executive following Glenn Douglas’s departure a fewmonths ago.” Mr Scott said: “I amdelighted to


have been appointed CEO at MTW. “I have been very impressed by


the staff I have met and look for- ward to working together to de- liver outstanding patient and staff experience.” He started with MTW on Janu-


ary 8, 2018. Mr Scott, who is married with


two children, lives in London. Miles has also been Chair of the


NICE Safe Staffing Advisory Committee, Vice Chair of the Foundation Trust Network and chair of the


NIHR South London Applied Health Research Centre, among numerous other roles.


Maidstone Weald February 2018 31


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