Councillor Wendy Purdy, Councillor for Watling ward and Chairman of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, along with Councillors Brake, Wildey and other Conservative Group members, has been working tirelessly at every level in order to fight to ensure life saving stroke services are located here within Medway.
As many will be aware, a consultation organised by the NHS in Kent and Medway, is currently being undertaken as part of a review of the future of urgent stroke services in Kent and Medway. The NHS is asking for people’s views on proposals to establish new 24/7 hyper acute stroke units in Kent and Medway, and will remain open until Friday 13 April 2018.
Councillor Purdy has attended every single public listening event regarding the consultation that has taken place in Medway, meeting with residents across the region; from Hoo, to Rainham, to Rochester. Cllr. Purdy, who is also a member of the Kent and Medway NHS Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said:
“The clear choice is to situate services in Medway, and Medway Maritime Hospital is included in three out of the five options being considered as a future site for a hyper acute stroke unit.
Many of the population will be familiar with the ‘F.A.S.T.’ acronym and will therefore know that speed is of the utmost importance when treating stroke. Option D, which includes Medway Maritime would see 82.2% of the population within 30 mins of HASU – over 6% more than the next best option. There is a very real risk that if we do not stand up and fight for the best interests of all Medway residents, these services could be moved out of our area.
I would like to thank all members of the public who have been engaged with the consultation and listening events to date, and strongly encourage everyone to visit https://kentandmedway.nhs.uk/stroke/ to find out how they can take the opportunity to have their say."
