HUGH ROBERTSON BRANDS PLANNED NHS CHANGES 'DISASTROUS' FOR KENT

The proposal to amalgamate the ambulance with Sussex and Surrey is the most damaging. Emergency services must be co-terminus given that people's lives and their safety are at risk.

Hugh Robertson has today branded the proposed NHS reorganisation ‘disastrous for Kent’. The proposed changes, announced last week, include:-

1. Amalgamating the Strategic Health Authority into one larger authority covering Kent, Sussex and Surrey.

2. Abolishing the Kent Ambulance Trust by creating one larger authority covering Kent, Sussex and Surrey.

3. Cutting the number of PCTs from nine to three.

Hugh opposed the changes during the consultation for the following reasons:-

1. Constituents want local services. This process takes services further away from the patient.

2. Kent is sufficiently large and strategically important to warrant its own services – particularly ambulance service.

3. This is a further step towards the government’s regionalisation agenda – a process people in Kent do not want and have not voted for.

4. The ambulance service should be co-terminus with other emergency services such as police and fire.

Hugh said, “I am deeply disappointed with the outcome of this review which will be disastrous for Kent. It runs entirely contrary to what people are constantly telling me – namely that they want their services provided locally.

“The proposal to amalgamate the ambulance with Sussex and Surrey is the most damaging. Emergency services must be co-terminus given that people’s lives and their safety are at risk. I urge the government to change its mind and do what people want – rather than follow political dogma.