Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
NHS chiefs to be grilled over loss of services at K&C and future plans
HOSPITAL CAMPAIGNER SAYS SITUATION IS IN ‘CRISIS’ AS HUGE DEMO IS ARRANGED
Hospital bosses will face a grilling over the future of the Kent and Canterbury at a public meeting in the city tomorrow (Friday) night.
Campaign group Concern for Health in East Kent (Chek) has called the debate in the wake of the drastic scaling back of emergency care provision in Canterbury, which many fear is the start of the downgrading of the hospital.
Managers claim the measures are “temporary” after Health Education England instructed the removal of junior doctors at the K&C because they are not being adequately supervised.
But the transfer of urgent care services has sparked fears they could be lost permanently as part of health chiefs’ Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) for east Kent’s hospitals.
The controversial scheme will likely see all specialities concentrated at the William Harvey in Ashford.
But Chek is challenging the recent loss of services from Canterbury, including emergency heart and stroke treatment.
It fears the downgrading has already started ahead of a proposed full public consultation on the STP and has started fundraising to get legal advice.
It is also calling for a new acute hospital and medical school to be created in Canterbury, which was given the backing of the city council last week.
The public meeting, at 7pm at the Canterbury Academy in Knight Avenue, will be chaired by former University of Kent vice-chancellor Sir David Melville and attended by east Kent hospitals’ trust bosses, including chief executive Matthew Kershaw
MPS Sir Julian Brazier (Canterbury and Whitstable) and Helen Whately (Faversham and Mid Kent) are also attending.
Chek chairman Ken Rogers said: This was originally a public meeting for the public to question health bosses.
“However, the announcement of the general election has thrown the politicians into the ring.
“We really are in crisis now and fighting for the long-term future of the Kent and Canterbury.
“But a lot of that now lies with the government of the day and this meeting will give the public the chance to gauge the politicians’ support.”
The campaign group is also organising a public protest march through Canterbury at 10.30pm on Saturday, June 3, which is expected to start and finish in the Dane John Gardens.
As many as 5,000 people are expected to attend.