By Bill Millar, Director of Primary Care NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group
Email received from NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group this evening:
"NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is responsible for making sure patients have access to GP practice services, is engaging with patients of Orchard House Surgery in Lydd about the future of services at that site.
At today's Adult Social Care committee Ida Linfield called on Kent CC to let people recovering from Covid-19 stay for as long as they need to in Kent's 'designated beds' rather than being thrown out after just two weeks.
There are 80 designated beds in care homes throughout Kent which are for local residents to stay in whilst recovering from Covid. Many of the beds are vacant at the moment, but the stays are limited to only 2 weeks!
"With nearly half the beds lying vacant, I asked for residents to be able to stay as long as they need, rather than being kicked out after two weeks", said Ida. "Everyone is different, and everyone has different needs whilst recovering from this dreadful disease. Let's treat each person as an individual and help them accordingly."
The Corporate Director of Adult Social Care agreed to look into this, so watch this space!
From https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/news/community-scrutiny-issues : "Folkestone & Hythe District Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee is planning its programme for 2021/22 and seeking suggestions for district-wide matters which are important to your community."
The most important thing about the Covid Vaccination roll-out locally is that it happens as quickly as possible, and I'm going to do nothing that gets in the way of those trying to roll it out.
The failure to purchase private hospital beds is a national scandal
Rob Bird, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group at Kent County Council, reports.
On Saturday I was saddened to learn that a dear friend had died. She was in her mid eighties but was full of life. She had recently been admitted to hospital for a routine operation. There she had contracted Covid-19 and she subsequently died. I was sad, and I was angry.
Liberal Democrat councillors warmly welcomed a senior KCC finance officer's statement that Kent County Council has 'consistently contended that council tax differentials are unjustifiable and require reform'. But they were disappointed that Kent's Conservative Administration is not pressing for a fairer system.