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NHS Redhill Community Diagnostic Centre Opens

Photo above credit: Tracey Franklin

The Redhill Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) opened today in The Belfry Shopping Centre.

CDCs are healthcare facilities that offer tests, scans and checks in community settings.  They aim to reduce pressure on hospitals and give patients quicker and more convenient access to tests.  Among the services offered are Echocardiograms, CT scans and X-rays.  Appointments at the Centre are made through a referral from a GP or healthcare professional.

Other Community Diagnostic Centres are already in place at Crawley Hospital and the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead.

Photo above credit:  The Belfry

Surrey Committees Meet for Local Government Reorganisation

Photo credit:  Surrey County Council.  Photo shows voting by Councillors at the East Surrey Voluntary Joint Committee.

Local councillors in Surrey have come together for the first time as committees to lay the foundations for Local Government reorganisation. 

Surrey County Council and the eleven district and borough councils are reorganising into two new unitary authorities – West Surrey Council and East Surrey Council.  The East Surrey Voluntary Joint Committee met last week in Reigate, and a similar Committee for West Surrey met in Woking.  Both committees agreed to the development of an implementation plan for the new councils, and will continue to meet monthly at different locations within their areas. 

In May residents will elect councillors to serve on the new councils which will initially be ‘shadow authorities’ tasked with setting up the new organisations.  From April 2027, they’ll officially take over the delivery of local services in each area.

Photo credit: Surrey County Council.  Photo shows Councillors from the East Surrey Voluntary Joint Committee.

Critical incident declared at East Surrey and other Sussex and Surrey Hospitals

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs East Surrey Hospital has declared a critical incident.

The critical incidents are a result of a rise in complex attendances to A&E departments and ongoing challenges in discharging patients.

This has been made worse with the increase in flu and norovirus cases, a rise in staff sickness and recent cold weather also impacting more frail patients needing to be admitted.

As a result non-urgent appointments may need to be rescheduled. Cancer and other urgent operations will continued to be prioritised.

Investigation launched into South East Water over supply issue

The Drinking Water Inspectorate has launched and investigation into South East Water over the disruption to supply in Kent and Sussex.

It some after 17,000 homes, businesses and schools were left days with little to no water supply.

The investigation will look into  “the circumstances leading up to the loss of supply, the actions taken by the company during the event, and its communications with consumers”.

They say appropriate enforcement action will be taken to “protect public health and to plan and prepare for loss of supply incidents”.