NHS Kent and Medway is planning how health and care services could improve from April 2027. The aim is to help people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Have your say and tell us what matters most. Our survey is running until 9am on Tuesday, 1 September.
The NHS has already listened to patients, carers, staff, councils, community groups and healthcare providers and people said they want:
This feedback has been used in our draft plan.
Before any decisions are made, we want to hear what matters most to you. We'll be engaging with residents of Kent and Medway over the summer about to develop these plans.
Around two million people live in Kent and Medway. People are living longer and more people have long-term health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and dementia. More people also need mental health support.
At the same time, the NHS has limited money and staff. This means it must make the best use of the funding it has.
The NHS wants health and care services to work more closely together.
This means:
The aim is that you will not have to repeat your story to different healthcare professionals as often.
People will continue to use GP practices, community services and hospitals. The difference is that these services will work more closely together.
There are four main parts to how care will be organised:
Some services may be provided in a different way or in different places than they are now to keep improving our offer to patients.
This will make sure people receive the right care in the right place at the right time.
If these plans go ahead, you should see:
The NHS will still face challenges because money and staff are limited.
Digital services may make access easier for many people, but some people cannot use online services easily. The NHS will continue to provide other ways to access care.
GP and community services: More care could be provided by local teams working together in your community. This should make it easier for people with long-term or complex health needs to get support.
Hospital care: The NHS wants to reduce waiting times and make it easier to get the right treatment. Some people may be offered appointments at a different service if it means they can be seen sooner.
Urgent and emergency care: The NHS is reviewing how urgent care services operate so people can access the right care, in the right place, as quickly and safely as possible. This includes looking at the role of urgent treatment centres and how they work alongside GP services, neighbourhood care, community services and hospitals .
Mental health, learning disability, autism and ADHD: Services will be reviewed to make sure they work better together and are easier to access. The NHS also wants people to get support based on their needs, before and after a diagnosis, if one is needed.
Women's health and maternity care: Maternity and women's health services, along with fertility services, will be reviewed to improve safety, quality and fairness.