Thousands of campaigners are expected to march this weekend against cuts to hospital services in east Kent.
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has been widely criticised in recent weeks after announcing stroke patients will temporarily not be taken to Kent & Canterbury but instead to other hospitals in Ashford and Margate.
It followed the trust’s decision to move more than half of the junior doctors at the Canterbury site to the William Harvey and QEQM, due to a lack of permanent consultant doctors who oversee and support their training.
Additionally, it announced hundreds of patients attending the K&C’s urgent care centre by ambulance would instead be taken to the emergency departments at the other east Kent hospitals.
Subsequently, campaigners at Concern for Health in East Kent (CHEK), suggested distressed staff have told them patients could soon die as a result of the crisis.
The trust says its controversial decisions are being made to maximise patient safety and insists no permanent changes would be made without public consultation.
Bosses responded to calls for transparency earlier this year by providing answers to an open letter from CHEK.
Now the campaigners have organised a protest march, assembling at the Dane John Gardens in Canterbury at 10.30am.
It will circle around the back of the city before coming up the high street, pausing for a minute’s silence at Canterbury Cathedral in memory of those killed and injured in last week’s Manchester terror attack.
CHEK chair Ken Rogers said: “The NHS is important to everyone and most will use it.
“With the possibility looming of services in east Kent being cut to the bone this is a chance to show the strength of feeling against those cuts.
“We are expecting up to five thousand to attend including nurses and doctors.”
Trust spokesperson Steve James said: “We are aware of the event and looking forward to attending the public meeting organised by CHEK on June 16, along with our NHS commissioner colleagues.”
Article originally published by Kent News
