麻豆约拍

The amount of compensation paid out for medical blunders at Kent's hospital trusts has more than doubled in seven years.

The NHS Litigation Authority pay-outs have risen from 拢9.8m in March 2004 to 拢21.4m in March 2011.

With the proposed cuts to legal aid for medical negligence cases, there are fears that some victims and their families won't be able to take legal action in the future.

Alex Bish brings us the exclusive report (06.07) and we gauge the reaction from Roy Lilley, former NHS Trust Chairman, and Peter Walsh, Chief Executive of The Charity Action Against Medical Accidents (07.08).

John and Clare also speak to Nick Fairweather from Canterbury, a solicitor who practices medical negligence cases, and Dr. Mike Smith, Vice Chairman of the Patients Association (08.07).

Also on the programme, a homeless shelter in Kent says it has its work cut out trying to keep rough sleepers from freezing to death.

With temperatures plummeting in recent days and remaining bitterly cold, Catching Lives in Canterbury tell us how they are coping with the influx of people coming through their doors (06.25).

Mike Barrett is the Chief Executive of homeless Charity Porchlight, who work with Catching Lives in Canterbury. He reveals the reality of the situation in the county (07.20).

With the elderly also at risk, Paula Owen from Age UK speaks about the situation for the county's growing number of senior citizens (08.22).

And the number of people worried about their safety on Kent's trains is falling according to the latest survey from Passenger Focus.

However, there are still hundreds of crimes each years at the county's stations and on South Eastern trains.

Sharon Hedges from Passenger Focus and Detective Sergeant Leigh Marshall from the British Transport Police offer their opinions on the figures (07.38).

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