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Bed blocking at Darent Valley Hospital partly blamed on Bexley council

John and Clare with the latest news, travel, and weather, plus stories from around Kent.

A rise in bed blocking at the Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford is partly being blamed on Bexley council failing to put proper care plans in place for patients being discharged.

Bexley Council says it is doing all it can to ensure patients who need help from social services are not delayed.

It follows the closure of the Accident and Emergency department at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup last year, which means patients from South London are now being treated at Darent Valley.

Between April and July this year there was a 130% increase in the number of days patients are prevented from going home.

Dr. Ian Donald from the British Geriatric Society and John Albiston, an independent consultant in new hospitals, discuss their concerns at the findings (07.08).

Jenny Kay, Director of Nursing at Darent Valley Hospital, and Dr Mike Parker of the Royal College of Surgeons explain why the problem is so bad in Kent (08.08).

An unnamed woman from Kent, who had her child via a surrogate mother, is taking legal action to secure rights to maternity pay for women in the same situation.

As the law stands, the women known only as 'RKA' is not entitled to maternity leave or pay.

Having already challenge the Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncam Smith, she was told her maternity pay was only intended for women recovering from childbirth.

John and Clare hear from Steve Holford, Chairman of Surrogacy UK (07.24) and the mother's lawyer Merry Varney (06.25).

And church officials meet today to select the new Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop in a large part of Kent.

In an opinion poll for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Local Radio more than half those surveyed in the South East think the current Archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams, has been a good leader.

But more than a quarter of people in the region think he hasn't kept the church relevant in modern Britain.

Christina Rees from the General Synod reviews Dr. Williams' time in the positions and offers her thoughts on his successor (07.39).

Religious writer Stephen Bates, former religious affairs correspondent for the Guardian, joins John and Clare live in the studio to give his assessment on the shortlist (08.40).

3 hours

Broadcast

  • Wed 26 Sep 2012 06:00