Great to hear health chiefs praise “vital” Deal Hospital – as well as confirmation that blood tests are now being carried out in Deal’s local GP surgeries following a wider Kent re-jig.
Myself and Deal county councillor Cllr Trevor Bond last week met with the Chief Executive of the Kent Community Health Trust that runs Deal’s Victoria Hospital. We raised concerns about communications of the changes to the blood testing service and quizzed the trust about their wider plans for Victoria Hospital.
I have been told that while blood tests are now provided by local GP surgeries, Victoria Hospital is vital to the health services provide – including the highly popular minor injury service.
From the 1st of November, blood tests were moved from the Victoria Hospital to GP surgeries. Patients needing blood tests now get them at their local GP surgery. These include Manor Road Surgery, St Richard’s and Golf Road Surgery, Balmoral Surgery and Cedars Surgery. Patients registered at other surgeries will be able to access blood tests through their local GP surgery.
The move of blood tests from Victoria Hospital to GP surgeries concerned some residents. I had already received assurances about funding and support for local GPs for this change, as well as confirmation that there is no need for anyone to travel outside of Deal for GP-requested blood tests. I have written to GPs to check if they have any concerns with the new arrangements.
However, a number of people raised further concerns with me about services at Deal Hospital.
So, I pressed health chiefs on their plans for Victoria Hospital. They told me the hospital is vital to the services they provide and that bloods moving to GP surgeries were part of a re-gig that has also affected other parts of Kent.
Victoria Hospital is much loved community resource. I am glad to hear health bosses rightly say they see it as vital to their provision of local health services.
Cllr Trevor Bond said:
” I was pleased to be able to raise residents’ concerns with the Chief Executive of the hospital trust and get that confirmation that Deal Hospital remains central to our community.”
Paul Bentley, Chief Executive of Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust said:
“I was very pleased to meet with Natalie Elphicke MP and Cllr Trevor Bond and to have the opportunity to restate the importance of Deal Hospital to the community we serve and the vital care our hospital provides, it was helpful to be able to take the opportunity to reassure local residents that Victoria Hospital, Deal is a full and very important part of the provision of services for the people we serve and that Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust remains fully committed to the vital role that it plays in the community.”