Chek fighting for services across Kent

For those who feel Concern for Health in East Kent (Chek) is only campaigning for the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, this is not true.

Chek’s aim is for acceptable healthcare to be available both in the hospitals and communities across east Kent, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We could see then, as we do now, that the hospitals, community and social services cannot be seen in isolation; each depends on the other.

After having spent eight years as a member of the-then Canterbury and Thanet Community Health Council (CHC), I was instrumental with others way back in 1999 in extending the campaign that was focused purely on the K&C (Save Canterbury Hospital) to what we have now, Chek.

In fact, the CHC recommended that a new hospital should be built at Whitfield that would be more geographically accessible to residents across east Kent. Alas, this suggestion was never followed up.

Heart attacks, accidents and head injuries meeting certain criteria along with above-neck conditions (eye, ear, nose, and throat emergencies) have to be taken now to the William Harvey in Ashford and have done so for a number of years.

The minimum time for a person to be taken from the QEQM in Thanet in a ‘blue light ambulance’ to Ashford is 55 minutes in ‘light’ traffic.

Is this acceptable to the population of Thanet and the areas previously covered by the K&C? I say no!

Chek recognises that not every hospital