Huge community response helps shape new Thanet hub
Patients, carers and NHS and social care colleagues have been thanked for their contribution towards shaping a new health hub for Thanet.
The £10million health hub, led by the East Kent Health and Care Partnership (EKHCP), will open its first services at the Carey building in Westwood Cross in the summer. The hub is set to include a community diagnostic centre, a range of NHS community services, a new home for St Peter’s GP surgery and community and voluntary organisations, such as Age UK.
The EKHCP led a programme of communications and engagement in January and February to gather local views on the hub – almost 1,000 people responded. More than 700 people completed an online survey and another 250 people joined public events and focus groups, either in-person or online.
EKHCP Programme Director Karen Sharp said: “It’s incredibly exciting. We have carried out extensive public engagement to hear from as many people as possible and we’d like to thank everyone for taking the time to respond. Overall, we’ve heard strong support for the hub services from patients, public and staff. By continuing to work with patients, the community and our partners, we will work hard to address concerns about transport, parking and traffic congestion to ensure the hub’s success.”
Events for the local community to have their say included a meeting in Broadstairs chaired by East Thanet MP Polly Billington, as well as online engagement events and focused engagements with key organisations such as the Thanet Stroke Association, Speak Up CIC, a mental health voluntary organisation based in Margate and year 13 pupils from St George’s School. Discussions were held with St Peter’s Surgery patient participation group too, with members saying they were ‘very excited’ about the plans.
Thanet residents said they hope the new hub will improve access to services and reduce waiting times for diagnostic services, like MRI and echocardiograms, make it easier to access multiple services in one location, reduce the need to travel for appointments and that the hub might be able to offer additional services in the near future. Community organisations are excited to be involved.
Philip Griffiths, Director of Estates Optimisation at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT), which will be leasing the building, said: “Contractors have now started work on the building. We have taken on board everything that has been said and we will be working with partners to look at what is possible as part of a comprehensive travel plan. We’re exploring all opportunities for parking, to make sure we can accommodate everyone, including blue-badge holders, on-site.”
The responses showed:
- 95 per cent said having same-day appointments to GP services would be useful
- 81 per cent said they agreed or strongly agreed the clinical diagnostic hub would improve access to diagnostic services
- 73 per cent agreed that including NHS community services from other locations would be useful
- 78 per cent agree or strongly agreed that the centre would help to improve partnership working with community and voluntary sector organisations.
Read the Thanet health hub: We're listening full report
