Issue - meetings

Mark Devlin, Chief Executive, Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust and Karen Jeffries, Deputy Director of Provider Services, West Kent PCT will be in attendance for this item.

(Mark Devlin, Chief Executive, Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust and Karen Jeffries, Deputy Director of Provider Services, West Kent PCT were in attendance for this item)

(1)       The Committee had before them:-

·              a briefing note;

·              some letters and correspondence from the former Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley Primary Care Trust (DG&S PCT) and the Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust;

·              a media statement published by the DG&S PCT in April 2006; and

·              some correspondence between the two Trusts and the NHS Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 

(2)       The Committee were still receiving a number of concerns from local Members about the changes to some services being provided at the Darent Valley Hospital and the Gravesham Community Hospital.

(3)       In attendance for this item to answer the Committee’s questions were Mark Devlin, Chief Executive of the Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust and Karen Jeffries, Deputy Director of Provider Services and Monica Blake, Head of Primary Care for Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley of the West Kent PCT.

(4)       Mr Devlin acknowledged that there was some confusion in the public as to which of the two Trusts provided services and where.  He made specific reference to a number of services provided at the Darent Valley Hospital and those where it was more appropriate in the community i.e. anti-coagulant. 

(5)       Ms Jefferies informed the Committee of the services, either currently being provided at the Gravesham Community Hospital or planned for the near future.

(6)       Members of the Committee expressed the concerns being expressed in the press about the services available, recognising that there needed to be a core provision of services available locally.

(7)       Ms Blake responded that there was some misunderstanding locally and she cited the example of 34 out of 39 general practitioners in the area had volunteered to provide anti-coagulant clinics.  Ms Blake added that some of the information and perceptions of the public were unfounded.

(8)       Mr Devlin acknowledged that it was a fair analysis that acute hospital services were being consolidated and there were a number of people who presented to acute hospitals for services where it would be much more appropriate for those people to be dealt with in the community much closer to their home.

(9)       Several Members expressed their concern at the ability of the public to access the services when transportation was not as good as it might be. 

(10)     Ms Blake informed the Committee that GPs locally would be making a decision shortly on the services that would be provided locally.  Ms Blake added that in theory there could be the provision of a range of services at each of the 39 GP sites throughout the area.  However, there were issues concerning whether the GP practices, the estate, staff etc were available.

(11)     Specific concerns were raised relating to the cataract service and the new Emergency Care Centre being provided at the Darent Valley Hospital.

(12)     The Committee noted that there continued to be a robust discussion taking place with regard to the cataract service.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14