Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
MP doesn’t want to see ‘sticking Plaster’ solution
East Kent MPS Sir Julian Brazier and Helen Whately say they will not give up on the long-term vision for a new hospital in Canterbury.
Despite the trust’s rejection of the idea, they still believe that capital funding could be found for the development, saying Canterbury is the “most logical place” to host it.
Canterbury Tory Sir Julian says he appreciates the hospitals’ trust is “firefighting” to deal with the current crisis, but urges bosses to look beyond their five-year plan.
He said: “I agree with a large part of its sustainability and transformation plan, but we have to pursue the longterm vision of a major new hospital and medical school in Canterbury, which is the most logical place to put it.
“This issue is going to be my high priority for the next five to six years.
“It is important that we make decisions that will last for generations.
“I think the bulk of services should be at a new hospital in and around Canterbury and we do not accept that funding for that cannot be found in the future.”
Faversham Conservative Mrs Whately says she does not want to see a “sticking plaster” solution to the problems.
“I know people are very
worried about the future of urgent care services at Kent and Canterbury Hospital and those fears were expressed passionately at the meeting on Saturday,” she said.
“I don’t want to see services lost from the Kent and Canterbury. Nor must the hospital allow patient safety to be compromised by a lack of senior doctors.
“The plan that’s being drawn up at the moment is intended to go some way to addressing these problems, but, together with Sir Julian, I’m pressing for a more ambitious long-term vision for healthcare in East Kent.
“The ideas include a new specialist acute hospital in Canterbury and a medical school. This would enable us to train the doctors we need, attract the brightest and best to work in our hospitals, and be an important boost to Kent’s life sciences industry. It would make east Kent a centre of excellence.”