Maidstone Weald Labour Party

PRESS RELEASE 4TH OCTOBER 2006

HELP MAIDSTONE HOSPITAL GET BETTER FOR PATIENTS

Maidstone and the Weald Labour Party note with increasing concern the current situation with our local hospitals and its effect on patients.

We welcome the fact that maternity services will not be relocated to the new Pembury site for the next few years. We believe that there should be no significant changes until the new hospital is operational and hospital services should not be downgraded.

We note the vote of local British Medical Association members in which 129 doctors voted in favour of not transferring services from Maidstone to the Kent and Sussex hospital in Tunbridge Wells before the new Pembury hospital is operational.

We do though believe that we should remember that there is a discussion to be had about the changes within the NHS but our priority remains the patients and their healthcare needs.

We do not believe that the downgrading of services at Maidstone Hospital should occur until a new hospital is up and running.

Even at this stage we have grave concerns about the poor rail and road connection between the two sites. We believe that the costs of the journey will be a barrier to people attending out-patients appointments.

We should also note that some of our constituents do live near to the new hospital site, but others far away and we worry that some of the less well off and those that are more at risk will have difficulties with the journey, or the possible expense.

NO PARKING CHARGES FOR PATIENTS.

Given the only option for many will be to drive we would call that there be no parking charges imposed at this site for patients and adequate parking is available.

We will actively campaign on this platform to try and influence those making these important decisions. To that end this press release will be sent to the local press, and the Chief Executive of both the Primary and Secondary care trusts and to the Government.

THIS PRESS RELEASE ALSO COINCIDES WITH THE LAUNCH OF OUR WEBSITE WWW.MAIDSTONELABOUR.CO.UK OR WWW.MLP.ORG.UK AND ALSO OUR BLOG.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT JOHN HUGHES – 01622 745250 OR DR RAV SEERUTHUN - 07969192461 OR EMAIL INFO@MAIDSTONELABOUR.CO.UK