Article For Folkestone Herald and Kentish Express

9 December 2004

Last week Shepway Primary Care Trust set out proposals for intermediate care services in Shepway which could have far-reaching implications for the future of health care in our area. They could involve the loss of all the beds at the Royal Victoria Hospital, though not the closure of the hospital itself.

The Trust is consulting on the proposals and the consultation period lasts until 23 February 2005. Two public meetings are to be held – one on 13 January at the hospital and another at St Mary’s Bay Village Hall on 14 January.

At present there are three in-patient wards at the hospital. The Richard Stevens Unit is a 16-bed rehabilitation stroke unit which is to be moved to the William Harvey Hospital in January 2005. This is because the Trust believes that the extensive facilities available at the William Harvey make it a better place for patients needing acute stroke care and rehabilitation.

The other two wards are acute rehabilitation wards with 41 beds between them. The Trust says that care and rehabilitation in the community are increasingly seen as better than care and rehabilitation in hospital. It also says that keeping the two wards would mean that it would be “unlikely to meet the requirement of the Royal Colleges because of the lack of medical cover from doctors and other medical staff.”

I am not convinced by the arguments. On Friday I shall be holding one of my regular meetings with the Primary Care Trust when I shall be asking a series of questions about these proposals.

First, although I am sure it is a good thing that more care and rehabilitation can be provided at home there will clearly be some patients who need to be in hospital. So there will surely be a continuing need for beds where this care can be provided.

Secondly, I want to know whether the Royal Colleges have actually been consulted or whether the Trust have simply guessed at what their reactions might be.

Thirdly, how many beds are available for this type of care elsewhere in East Kent? I have recently been approached on behalf of at least one constituent who was in need of such care but was told he would have to go into hospital elsewhere and not the Royal Victoria. I want to know what scope there is for moving beds from other parts of East Kent to the Royal Victoria, if the overall number needs to be reduced.

I shall keep you posted on the answers I get to these questions. This is a vital issue for our community. I shall make sure our interests are effectively championed.