Each week, Ben Hopkinson looks back at a serious, crazy, and happy news story from the past week.
Serious News
The NHS has confirmed that GP teams across Kent saw their busiest ever July with 960,000 appointments – this number up 3% from last year and almost 33% higher than pre-Covid.
However, a GP patient survey also shows an improvement in overall satisfaction for patients, up to 70% this year from 65% back in 2023.
This bucks the usual trend of a decline in appointments, as there are less respiratory viruses like the flu and colds.
Dr Ash Peshen, GP and NHS Kent and Medway’s deputy chief medical officer, says: “It should be remembered that this increase includes appointments with nurses, physiotherapists and other specialists working in general practice, as sometimes it is more appropriate for patients to see them”.
The director of primary and community (out of hospital) care, Sukh Singh adds: “These welcome signs of improvement are down to the efforts of staff in general practice and NHS Kent and Medway as we work together to improve access to GP services in the face of increasing demand”.
Crazy News
Last weekend, a Dartford taxi driver was left shocked to see a wild albino wallaby while in the middle of a job.
Jag Alli held up traffic and guided the animal back the way it came – all while his passengers were stunned and taking photos of the extraordinary meeting.
The wallaby has since been returned to its owner after police arrived at the scene.
Mr Alli said that he “Thought about grabbing him to put in the boot of my car to take him home, or take him to the authorities, or for someone to come and collect it [but] didn’t want to get too close as he was afraid of the punches and kicking, or putting [him] in a headlock”.
Happy News
The last remaining cinema train carriage is getting restored, ready to show films again after 40 years of being left abandoned.
First opened by Princess Margaret in 1975, the carriage was originally created as a part of an exhibition showcasing 150 years of the modern railway – this year is the 200th anniversary.
The carriage, which can seat up to 25 customers, is set to be rescued by volunteers of the Swindon & Cricklade Railway heritage line and will be using a projector to show British Transport films.
The team lead of the volunteer renovators, Martin Rouse, says: “The coach could've been returned to passenger use but so much history would've been lost. What we have now is almost unique, nowhere else offers this facility, and it's great to see what it's become”.
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