The Kent Messenger’s Access All Areas campaign has highlighted the problems currently facing west Kent’s healthcare system – from heavily subscribed GPs to long delays in A&E.

But the crisis is even more alarming given the population is expected to swell by 20% in the next 20 years.

Now, with the Local Plan currently being formulated by Maidstone Borough Council, which aims to provide 18,560 new homes by 2031, it is vital to find funding sources for improvements to health facilities so they can cope with the predicted influx in patients.

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At the last count, in 2014, the borough was home to 161,800 people – already making it the highest population of Kent County Council’s 12 boroughs.

But the Office of National Statistics expects that to rise by 15% – an extra 24,800 residents – by 2031 and a total of 32,970 by 2037.

A spokesman for the council said a key part of the council’s planning process was to ensure the correct infrastructure was in place for the new homes with
the NHS a key consultee on applications for housing developments.

The body is asked to identify whether existing facilities should be improved or expanded to cope with an increasing number of patients, or if new health services are required – something common with larger developments.

Under those circumstances, financial contributions can be sought from developers through legal agreements known as section 106 planning obligations to help pay for a specific project such as the enlargement of a GP surgery in the area.

For instance, Redrow, the developers behind a 100-home scheme off Sutton Road has agreed to pay £73,656 towards improving four local practices.

This contract forms part of the planning permission and, at an agreed point during the construction process, the money is paid, initially to the council, and subsequently to the NHS to undertake the agreed work.

Funds can also be raised through a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), a charge which can be applied to developers building a new home or floor space greater than 100sq metres.

In west Kent there is currently an average of 1,852 patients per GP, with the highest ratio in Maidstone in Wallis Avenue Surgery, Park Wood at 3,364 people served by one doctor.

That practice is among 18 identified by the council as needing expansion or improvement, paid for by CIL and section 106 contributions and deemed essential to the Local Plan’s success. However, exact details have not yet been given about what those improvements would entail, or how they would be staffed.

If you support our calls for an easy to access walk-in health service, click here to sign the petition.