Our local health services are generally good but there are some areas where I am pressing for further improvements, including mental health services, especially for young people, and care for people with Alzheimer’s.
Greg was delighted to help launch a new initiative during Mental Health Awareness Week which aims to promote positive mental health and wellbeing in Tunbridge Wells.
Stroke has recently made the headlines again as new figures published by Public Health England showed that more first-time strokes are occurring at an earlier age compared to a decade ago. The average age for men having a stroke fell from 71 to 68 years and for women, 75 to 73 years.
Greg met with the Chief Executive of the Alzheimer's Society, Jeremy Hughes, during a visit to their local day support service at Hazeldene House in Pembury.
During the visit, Greg also chatted to people with dementia and their carers.
After receiving a number of complaints about the local patient transport service, Greg called a meeting with the company that provide the service, G4S, and West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group who arrange the contract.
Greg met with the Chief Executive of Kent & Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), Helen Greatorex, to talk about local adult mental health services.
Contracts have been awarded for two local mental health services – a new young people's mental health service and all-age eating disorders service – in Kent & Medway.
The organisation providing these two new services will be North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT).
