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News | Health Staffing crisis


LATESTNHS figures showMaid- stone andthe rest ofWestKentpri- mary careworkforce development is below the national average for GPs, nurses anddirectpatient care. There is a shortage of both GPs


and nurses,with concerns thiswill worsen, especially as 38% of GPs are aged 50 and over. The NHS Nursing and Quality


Care Education facilitator is now working withWest Kent’s Educa- tion Network Training Hub and local universities. both to develop the existing workforce and create innovative newroles. WestKent is nowable toprovide


apprenticeships to primary care providers. A key area ofworkforce growth


in general practice is helping sur- geries to attract, recruit and sup- port nurses newto primary care.


Dementia care


A SPECIALIST NHS service to support local people with demen- tia and their families is about to be launched. Seven specialist nurses will work in West Kent with the seven clusters formed of 55 GP practices. The aims are to increase thewell-


being of patients, improve their quality of life and reduce waiting time for assessment andtreatment. This will include: education,


sleep advice, medication reviews, counselling, signposting relevant services (reducing waiting times) and support for carers.


Practice praise


THE budget-holding NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group has praised “the excellent achievement” of the leadership team at the Vine Medical Centre, Tonbridge Road,Maidstone. The teamat this GP practice has


received an outstanding rating fromtheCareQualityCommission for being well led. It was com- mended for providing a culture that had shared purpose,motivat- ing staff to succeed. The overall rating for the centre


is good. BearstedMedical Practice received a similar rating.


Longer hours


PATIENTS in Maidstone and the rest of West Kent are welcoming the longer hours now available in GP surgeries. Early results of a survey show“a


clearpreference for access toweek- day evening appointments from Monday to Thursday up to 8pm, and for Saturdaymorning access”.


28 Maidstone July 2019


downsmail.co.uk


Travelling on horizon as radiographer retires


MAIDSTONE radiographer Christine Richards is looking forward to spending time travelling after a career inmedicine spanning 37 years.


Christine retired at the end of


May as the head of radiotherapy services at Maidstone and Tun- bridge Wells NHS Trust, which she joined in 1990. During her early career, she


travelled toAmerica, Sweden and Norway to source state-of-the-art equipment for the Trust, as well as overseeing training for staff. The 68-year-old said: “I will


miss the people because it’s such a friendly atmosphere here. I’m also going tomiss the patients, be- cause being part of something that is going to make such a dif- ference to someone’s life is so re- warding.” Christine twice won Radiogra-


pher of the Year as a member of theCollege of Radiographers and has been at the forefront of proj- ects to improve patient care and shaping the Trust’s innovative Radiotherapy Department. In June last year, she received


an MBE from Prince Charles for her services to cancer patients. She said: “I’ve been fortunate in


being able to achievemany things and going to Buckingham Palace to be awarded an MBE is some- thing I never even dreamed of, so


Radiographer Christine Richards (above) and left, receiving herMBE fromPrince Charles, in recognition of her work with cancer patients


it really topped offmy career. “Everyone at MTW really re-


spects one another andworks as a team to help our patients and it has been a real honour to work alongside them all for so many years.” She is now looking forward to holidays in her favourite destina-


tions, including Italy and France. Former radiotherapy planning


manager AmandaWilliams steps into her role, after working with the Trust for 21 years. Amanda qualified as a radiog-


rapher 27 years, ago after training as a therapeutic radiographer in VelindreHospital, Cardiff.


Measles jabs


HEALTH service teams are warn- ing people to ensure they are pro- tected against measles, with five more confirmed cases in Kent. Public Health England (PHE)


Hospital hits top 10


DURING a period of seriously missed targets, especially on cancer investigations and treatments, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital Trust saw 95.7%of A&E patientswithin four hours inMarch. West Kent Clinical Commission-


ing Group says: “This was a signifi- cant achievement and put themin the top 10 best-performing emer- gency departments in England.”


There was a significant improve-


ment in March towards the 85% target for patients receiving cancer treatment within 62 days of an ur- gent GP referral. It hit 67.91% compared with 56.02% in Febru- ary. All patients waiting for 104 days


andmore are subject to a harmre- view. So far no harmhas been iden- tified.


South East says everyone needs to check they are up to datewith two doses ofMMRvaccine andanyone concerned they have the condition should stay away fromothers. PHE spokesmanDrRachelPud-


ney said: “If you’re concerned that you or your child hasmeasles, call yourGP or ringNHS 111.”


Testing boost


KENT and Medway are support- ing the creation of a single pathol- ogy service with clinically appropriate turnaround times. They say this will enable earlier


diagnostic services supporting bet- ter outcomes. There should also be anNHS saving ofmore than £5m.


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