Outraged patients say that health bosses have broken their promises with their pledge to provide a one-stop shop and a direct bus route for outpatient services.

Just days after the Canterbury and Coastal Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) announced an improved transport link between Faversham and Whitstable, health campaigners fought back saying their provision is “inadequate”.

Despite a vow to provide all outpatient services at Estuary View Medical Centre after they were ripped away from Faversham Health Centre, some are still not available.

Both ear, nose and throat treatment and gynaecology are unavailable and health campaigner and former governor of East Kent Hospitals Trust Ken Rogers has said that patients have to travel to Canterbury or Ashford to have an X-ray, blood tests or MRI scan.

Mr Rogers, who campaigned in vain to stop the services being moved, said: “I’d hate to say I told you so. There is no mention of this one-stop shop they spoke about so much but have not delivered.

“They move everything away from Faversham, yet they haven’t opened all the services in Whitstable.

“The question of the one-stop shop was raised at the last public meeting, yet their concerns have not been addressed and patients are finding they are better off travelling to Canterbury, rather than Estuary View.”

East Kent Hospitals Trust spokesman Nick May said: “These services are not in place but there are plans to implement them.”

Another promise campaigners say is broken is the direct bus from Faversham town centre to Estuary View.

This week, the CCG announced that all bus routes are now operational, there is a bus stop outside Estuary View and there is a train service which “runs hourly”.

Former Faversham Health Centre doctor Paul Dawson-Bowling said: “What is now on offer looks not too bad, but it turns out the whole one stop idea was wishful thinking.

“Think of the mothers and toddlers without cars or the elderly or rheumatic patients.

“The ivory tower administrators devising theoretical plans have forgotten the real world of general practice, real patients and their often already difficult lives.”

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