Kent organisations step in to relieve pressure on Medway

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust is considering taking on outpatient work from patients in Swale in respiratory, cardiology and elderly care.

Extra support is also being put in place at Medway Maritime Hospital’s beleaguered accident and emergency department.

A GP and nurse led urgent care community service, MedOCC, which already works in the A&E during the day, will from mid-November be onsite round the clock.

The trust has been repeatedly criticised by the Care Quality Commission after numerous inspections of its A&E department found it was in a “state of crisis”.

Patricia Davies, accountable officer of Swale Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “The Kent and Medway health and social care system is working together to support Medway Foundation Trust to enable it to make the changes that will satisfy the CQC that it is providing safe care.

“As part of this, we at Swale Clinical Commissioning Group are working with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust to look at the possibility of providing some outpatient support for respiratory, cardiology and care of the elderly.”