Supporting our local NHS

Helen Whately at Faversham Village Hospital

Healthcare affects us all, whether we’re patients ourselves or our families and friends. As a parent, I make regular trips to the GP with my children and occasional visits to A&E too.

The major hospitals around this area are all in difficulties and many GPs are full to bursting, with patients queuing at 8am for appointments. The future of Faversham Minor Injuries Unit is uncertain (as I write).

Our local health services are not alone; GPs and hospitals around the country are struggling to cope. Although every year the NHS provides millions of people with excellent care, shocking cases have emerged where patients have been treated appallingly.

It’s easy to be critical but not necessarily helpful. I will champion our local NHS, work for good decisions and a fair share of funding. I use these services too. I want the NHS to provide excellent care to everyone who needs it.

 

News

A new CT scanner for Canterbury Hospital

It's great news that Canterbury Hospital is getting a new CT scanner.

The inclusion of Canterbury as one of the hospitals to benefit from £200 million of investment in diagnostic equipment, will help improve cancer care in Kent.

Results are in from the Park Wood GP survey…

I received hundreds of responses to my recent survey on GP services in Park Wood, which shows just how much people care. Lots of people shared stories of how good their local GP surgery is.

How long do you have to wait to see your GP?

People often tell me they have to wait ages to see a GP, and I have been shocked to hear stories about people queuing outside their surgery to get an appointment. This is simply not good enough.

How good is mental health care in Faversham and Mid Kent?

It can be difficult to get a true picture of how our area is doing when it comes to mental health services.

So I'm pleased that Mental Health Watch, a new website which makes scrutinising spending and performance easy, has been launched by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

We’re getting a Kent Medical School, now we need a modern Hospital

Healthcare in this area simply isn’t good enough. Our hospitals are struggling; it’s a hard to recruit enough doctors and nurses to staff three major hospitals in East Kent. And the buildings are out of date. I’ve campaigned for a new medical school in Kent, and we’re getting it.