A demonstration is to be held outside QEQM following the news that the hospital's stroke services are under threat.

Plans were announced earlier this month for a £40 million investment to create three hyper acute stroke units across Kent and Medway, which would result in a loss of services at Margate’s QEQM.

Cllr Karen Constantine has slammed this proposal, posting: "Join our demonstration outside QEQM (A&E side) this Saturday from 12.00 - 2.00.

"Bring a banner, bring a whistle, let's make some noise - so that we are heard and listened to. Ashford is too far. People will die."

The eight clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the county started reviewing stroke services in 2015 to make sure they were meeting national best-practice standards.

The CCGs, which are responsible for planning healthcare services, have revealed plans to open specialist units.

With the new units, urgent stroke services in other acute hospitals would no longer be provided.

But health campaigner Cllr Constantine has called the proposal “extremely worrying”.

The changes will require £40 million investment in building work, equipment at hospitals and to help recruit more staff.

However, the CCGs say the faster service will reduce overall cost.

A shortlist has been drawn up of where the three units would be.

Locations include Darent Valley Hospital, Maidstone Hospital, Medway Maritime Hospital, Tunbridge Wells Hospital and William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

There would no longer be general stroke services at QEQM. They would be replaced by an east Kent hyper acute stroke unit, proposed for the William Harvey Hospital.

Cllr Karen Constantine has raised concern over the loss of stroke services at QEQM, saying it is “a major cause for concern".

She said: “I am so worried about this. I can see a pattern evolving and it’ll be a gradual hollowing out of services at QEQM.

“It is essentially cost cutting.

“The NHS’s campaign to act fast on strokes is completely gone against here.

“If people in Thanet need to get to Ashford, it takes an hour in good traffic, and that’s the same for ambulances.

“Ashford is simply too far away. Life-saving stroke treatment should not be cut due to reducing funding in our NHS.

“I have set up a petition against this, and I positively encourage people to contact me with their concerns.”

Cllr Constantine’s petition, which is directed to Thanet CCG clinical chair Dr Tony Martin, can be found here

The demonstration will take place outside QEQM hospital on Saturday, February 3 from noon until 2pm.

A public consultation will follow a further assessment on the shortlist.

Each option gives 98% of people in Kent and Medway access to a unit within an hour by ambulance.

David Hargroves, clinical lead for the stroke review, said: “The way services are organised means that some people do not get the right treatment fast enough, particularly overnight and at weekends.

“Centralising urgent stroke care in three excellent hyper acute stroke units would change all that.”

A meeting will be held tomorrow between 1pm and 4pm in the Council Chamber at County Hall in Maidstone.

The public can sit in on the meeting and might have an opportunity to ask some questions.

To reserve your place at the meeting please register to book on https://strokejcccg.eventbrite.co.uk or call the Joint Committee admin office on 01892 638331.