More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Health bosses have approved a last-minute compromise on changes to urgent care in Gravesend and Dartford.
Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford, and Gravesham Community Hospital, Bath Street, Gravesend, had been earmarked as the two potential sites for the creation of the new urgent treatment centre (UTC), in a bid to reduce the pressure on A&E departments.
Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Clinical Commissioning Group were set to make a decision on the location for the new centre today, but the meeting at Dartford Council's Civic Centre instead discussed and approved plans to split the service over the two sites with a unanimous vote.
The CCG published a "decision making business case" (DMBC) this week, following consultation which showed overwhelming support for Gravesham as the site for the UTC.
Their new report, discussed today, stated: "The DMBC provides an analysis of the feedback received from the public consultation, including the intensive engagement exercise with Bexley residents, and recommends how the proposed site options could be adjusted to best mitigate the concerns raised by local people and stakeholders. It is recommended that these issues may be best mitigated by implementing a networked urgent care services model with two linked Urgent Treatment Centres, one at Gravesend Community Hospital, and one co-located with A&E at Darent Valley Hospital."
The meeting heard that the Dartford centre would deal with around 70 patients a day, while the Gravesend site would deal with 140.
Ian Ayres, managing director of Medway, North and West Kent CCGs, said the decision showed the trust was willing to listen to and work with the wider public.
"I think this is a good example of why we consult and how we respond to what we hear," he said. "I think that's a real positive. We got a very clear message from local people and we listened."
He said the NHS, across the board, faced conflicting driving forces to centralise and localise services. In this case he said the driving force from central government was to centralise services in UTCs but he said it had been clear they needed a more flexible approach in North Kent.
The announcement follows a 12-week consultation process in which more than 16,500 responses were submitted.
Findings show overall, 80% of those who completed a survey favoured Gravesham Community Hospital (Option 1) as the location for the new UTC, as opposed to 5% who thought the UTC should be based at Darent Valley Hospital (Option 2).
The remaining 15% either had no view or did not answer the question.
Kent County Council’s health and overview scrutiny committee was told responses rose from 2,500 to 16,500 in the last 72 hours of the consultation.
The rise in responders also coincided with a public plea for people to vote from Gravesham MP Adam Holloway, who was heard exclaiming "excellent" and "brilliant" as the CCG unveiled their plan today.
"If you make the decision thank you very much indeed," he said, addressing the meeting. "Obviously it's a no-brainer if two thirds of people using the facility are from Gravesend."
He warned that the 'split site model' would need adequate resources, but said the plan was overwhelmingly good news.
And he added: "Yesterday I spent the entire afternoon writing you each a letter begging you not to withdraw services from Gravesend. I've clearly wasted my time."
There were some concerns raised about staffing the sites, but CCG members said it was hoped the unique set-up would attract staff.
Dartford councillor for Temple Hill, Tom Maddison agreed, saying: "If you can sell it to staff hopefully it's something they will be proud to be involved in."
He had initially feared from a Dartford perspective that the CCG might base the service entirely in Gravesend, but the decision represented the best for both boroughs.
"If it was going to be one site I wouldn't be upset about it going to Gravesend, as there's a bigger population at Gravesend," he added. "You would have been taking away their walk-in centre at Northfleet, and if the UTC had come to Dartford they would have nothing.
"We were saying before, if they could resource it, then it would be ideal if they had two sites. The sensible option is the one they've taken."
Derek Ashenden, councillor for Gravesend's Riverview ward, said he hoped the plan would work but sounded a note of warning.
"The whole idea of the UTCs is to maximise resources under one roof," he said. "That's why the model has played out through the country. We're doing something different, but the problem is going to be resources.
"As much as I want it to work it's going to be extremely difficult."
But elsewhere in Gravesend the news received an overwhelmingly warm welcome.
In a statement released after the meeting, Cllr John Burden, Leader of Gravesham Borough Council, said: “On behalf of the residents of Gravesham who expressed an overwhelming wish that an Urgent Care Centre be sited in Gravesend, I am delighted that common sense has prevailed.
“For the elderly, the disabled, those with young children and those without their own transport, making the journey to Darent Valley Hospital to seek treatment was a prospect that filled them with dread.
“Members from across the political divide were united with our local residents in their insistence that a centre be sited at Gravesham Community Hospital.
“The correct decision has been made.”
Diane Marsh, county councillor for Gravesend East and Borough Councillor for Singlewell Ward, said: "This consultation has been very well implemented and everyone should be applauded to making sure peoples voices have been heard . I am encouraged by the recommendation to apply common sense on not moving the full GP walk in service to DVH and await further clarity from the board today when they present their business case."
Cllr Jordan Meade, leader of the Conservative Group at Gravesham Borough Council said he was pleased the CCG had listened to the people of Gravesham, adding: "The decision of the board to split the Urgent Treatment Centre between Gravesham and Darent Vally Hospital is a solution that will serve the people of North Kent well in the years to come.
"I would like to thank the many thousands of people who participated in the consultation sending a firm message to the CCG that our services must remain local. It is because of the public’s participation that this has been achieved."
Both UTCs will treat minor illnesses and minor injuries with the Urgent Treatment Centre at Darent Valley Hospital providing additional critical care by virtue of its co-location with the A&E department.
The walk-in services at the Whitehorse surgery will be relocated to Gravesham Community Hospital but the GP and other current services at Northfleet will remain on site and unchanged.
It is expected that the two linked Urgent Treatment Centres will be in place by summer 2020 as part of the first phase towards fully networked sites providing “joined up”, urgent care services for the people of Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley.
