Waiting times slashed in A&E

WAITING times at A&E are down, surgical training has improved and infection control teams are determined to beat the war on superbugs.

That’s the positive news coming from Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

The new NHS West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has given the two hospital sites at Maidstone and Pembury a glowing bill of health.

The hospitals have so far smashed national targets to see 95% of patients within four hours of arriving at A&E.

Dr Mark Whistler, member of the new CCG governing body, said: “This is very positive news. The health trust should be congratulated on the improvements.”

He said changes had been achieved by providing more staffing.

Since last October some 26 hospital trusts around the country have had summit meetings with health commissioners to improve ways of working. At Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells, the main focus was on further reducing cases of (C-diff), and improving junior doctor training in general surgery.

“We have put measures in place to ensure we are doing everything we can to avoid further cases,” said a trust spokesman.

On the training of its 10 junior surgical posts, the trust has a dedicated supervisor to provide continuity, instead of using different consultants.