Have your say to help shape the Thanet Health Hub
A multi-million pound state-of-the-art health hub in the heart of Thanet is a step closer to reality this week.
With NHS funding secured to the tune of £10million, it is now full steam ahead for the centre in the Carey Building, in Northwood Road, Broadstairs, which could open in the summer.
Plans for the Westwood Cross hub include a community diagnostic centre, expanded GP services, a range of community health services, as well as support for mental health and health promotion – all under one roof. The aim is to support people to stay well for longer and, with faster diagnosis, take a more proactive approach to keeping people well.
Public, patients, carers and voluntary sector organisations are being asked to help shape the hub by sharing what’s important to them.
Members of the local community are invited to discuss plans from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday, 15 February, at Pierremont Hall, Broadstairs CT10 1JX. The session will be chaired by East Thanet MP Polly Billington. Anyone can attend. Book online or email kchft.comms@nhs.net or phone 0300 790 0506 to secure a place.
There will also be two online events to discuss the vision for the hub. Places need to be booked in advance:
In addition, there is an online survey for people to give their views.
The project is being led by the East Kent Health and Care Partnership (EKHCP), which is made up of health, care and community and voluntary sector organisations.
Programme Director Karen Sharp said: “We worked hard to secure national funding for the hub for Thanet, which we hope will help to improve people’s long-term health.
“This could include a community diagnostic centre to provide earlier diagnostic tests, such as getting MRIs, closer to home, speeding up the start of treatment and reducing the need for hospital visits.
“We know Thanet has one of the highest levels of health inequality and our vision is to expand the centre with primary and community care, alongside the support of our voluntary sector partners, like Age UK, to support people to live healthy lives for longer.
“This is a really exciting opportunity and we are working with the patients, public, colleagues and our partners to look at the range of services that could be provided.”
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) plans to lease the building, renovating it to include consultation, counselling and treatment rooms. The Carey building is the former Christchurch College building and this week change of use from education to health was delegated to Thanet District Council officers pending a legal agreement to develop a travel plan.
Mairead McCormick, KCHFT Chief Executive and Senior Responsible Officer for EKHCP is urging local people to get involved.
She said: “We want to hear from local people and organisations on how to make the very best of this amazing opportunity. We’ve heard concerns about parking and congestion in the area and we have committed to doing all we can to minimise this. We hope to open in the summer and continually improve the hub, so we want local people to keep talking to us to tell us what they think.”
St Peter’s Surgery intends to move to the hub, growing its patient list to 7,500 over time and being able to expand the range of GP services.
Chief Executive Oena Windibank of Invicta Health CIC, which runs St Peter’s Surgery in Broadstairs, said: “The current premises are very challenging and limit the range of services we can provide. Moving to the hub, less than a mile away, would allow us to increase the number of registered patients and look at expanding the services on offer.”
The Community Diagnostic Centre could include services such as MRI, echocardiography, respiratory and phlebotomy services, with the possibility of working alongside the Targeted Lung Health Check Screening Programme.
Nicky Bentley, Director of Strategy, East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust (EKHUFT) which runs Buckland Community Diagnostics Centre, said: “The Community Diagnostic Centre would provide earlier diagnosis and this new centre would be in addition to existing services and add to current capacity for Thanet patients.”
Vanessa Wood, Chief Executive of Age UK Thanet, which supports 300 people a day, said: “Our volunteers will give people information, advice and support in a warm and welcoming environment and support people to navigate the care they need. I’m really excited by the opportunity to increase daily support and contact, which will give a lifeline to elderly and younger frail adults.
“We will offer transport to those who struggle to access services and our vision of the hub will be a place where individuals are supported with clear communication and reassurance.”
