Changes to improve outpatient services in east Kent will be discussed at a public meeting in Margate on Friday, January 24.

The session will take place at the Global Generation Church at Westwood Business Park at 9.30am.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust is planning a series of meetings, and wants to hear people’s views on proposals to streamline 15 outpatient clinics in south and east Kent so services are delivered at just six main centres.

The changes involve improving facilities at QEQM hospital in Margate, as well as at Kent and Canterbury Hospital and Ashford’s William Harvey Hospital.

More than £5 million has been spent on improvements to modernise and make outpatient areas at the hospitals more welcoming.

The idea is to make clinics ‘one-stop’ so patients can have all their tests and appointments at the same time.

The consultation ends on March 9, and people can participate at one of the meetings, by filling out a survey online at www.ekhuft.nhs.uk, by emailing viewsonoutpatient@nhs.net or by writing to: Communications Office, Freepost RSGJ-CLYR-UCKY, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, St Peters Road, Margate CT9 4AN

For full report, see next week's Thanet Extra