Press release
Wednesday 14th June 2017
Thanet’s Labour Kent County Councillors Karen Constantine and Barry Lewis are gravely concerned about the temporary changes at Kent & Canterbury hospital. This change will affect people who require emergency medical care for conditions like heart attack, stroke and pneumonia.
“Not only is this an absolutely calamity for the people and visitors of Canterbury” said Cllr Karen Constantine “this potentially puts people’s lives and health at unnecessary risk. It also may have a negative impact on our hospital, QEQM as it will be difficult to accommodate more patients, especially Stroke patients due to the current shortage of social care provision. This may mean following emergency treatment beds are in effect blocked. That’s not good for patients wherever they have come from.”
Cllr Barry Lewis added “QEQM has been on black alert several times recently. We need assurances that our services can cope with any extra demand particularly during busy times, such as winter.”
Cllr Constantine and Lewis will be asking for a rethink and seeking assurances on patient safety from the CEOs of both hospitals and they invite anyone with concerns to contact them.
For more information please contact
Karen Constantine.
07984 532212.
Story as reported by K&CH
TEMPORARY CHANGES AT KENT & CANTERBURY HOSPITAL
We are planning to make temporary changes to some services at Kent and Canterbury Hospital (K&C) from 19 June 2017. If you have a planned operation or appointment at K&C, these changes will not affect you and you will be seen and treated as usual.
This change will affect people who require emergency medical care for conditions like heart attack, stroke and pneumonia.
These patients will be taken directly by ambulance to our hospitals in Margate or Ashford, whichever is closer, for initial assessment and if they need to be admitted, patients will continue to be treated at these hospitals while they are very unwell. To find out more click through to the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust page.
Isle of Thanet News coverage
The knock on effect of what’s happening in Canterbury has been reported in Thanet. Read the story here.