Overview
- On Tuesday, William Harvey Hospital in Ashford placed a small number of patients on beds in its Costa Coffee seating area during exceptional demand, with screens and a security guard in place.
- East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust said some emergency cases were diverted to neighbouring hospitals and vowed the café use “will not be allowed to happen again.”
- The Department of Health and Social Care called the episode unacceptable and said it expects urgent action from hospital leaders to ensure safe, dignified care in appropriate settings.
- The trust announced a £16.2m investment to expand Same Day Emergency Care to reduce waits and relieve pressure on A&E services.
- System pressures remain severe, with East Kent ranked 101st of 134 acute providers and 1,311 patients waiting 12 hours or more for a ward bed in August, drawing sharp criticism from campaigners and the local MP and echoing earlier warnings from a Kent coroner.