Concern for Health East Kent will hold a public meeting in Ramsgate this weekend to discuss plans to change A&E and other hospital services.
Health commissioners agreed last month (November 30) to explore two options for urgent, emergency and acute medical care and six potential options for planned inpatient orthopaedic care in east Kent.
For A&E the options are:
Invest £160million for:
- a much bigger, modern, A&E at William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, which would also provide services for people that need highly specialist care (such as trauma, vascular and specialist heart services) in east Kent
- an expanded, modern A&E at Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM), Margate, with inpatient care for people who are acutely unwell, emergency and day surgery, maternity and geriatric care
- investment in beds and services at Kent and Canterbury Hospital which would have a 24/7 GP-led Urgent Treatment Centre, and services including diagnostics (such as X-ray and CT scans), day surgery, outpatient services and rehabilitation.
Or invest £250million for:
- the fitting out of a new build and refurbishment of some of the current buildings connected to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, which would provide a single 24/7 A&E and all specialist services (such as trauma, vascular and specialist heart services) for the whole of east Kent
- QEQM Hospital and William Harvey Hospital would have 24/7 GP-led Urgent Treatment Centres, as well as diagnostics (such as X-ray and CT scans), day surgery, outpatient services and rehabilitation.
Options for planned inpatient orthopaedic care
- only the Kent and Canterbury Hospital
- only QEQM Hospital
- only William Harvey Hospital
- both the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and William Harvey Hospital
- both the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and QEQM Hospital
- both William Harvey Hospital and QEQM Hospital
A formal public consultation will take place later next year.
CHEK have called the meeting to update people on the issues. Speakers will include Craig Mackinlay MP; Cllr Karen Constantine; Hazel Smith, NHS accountable officer and speakers from The Beacon
It will take place on Saturday (December 9), 10am to noon at Chatham House school in Chatham Street, Ramsgate.
For more information about the NHS proposals visit http://kentandmedway.nhs.uk/where-you-live/plans-east-kent/ekjcccg/