A council boss has added his voice to calls for a new hospital in Canterbury, and has urged a health trust to look for a “third option” to boost standards of emergency care across east Kent.

KCC leader Paul Carter has waded into the debate about the future of health services after two competing plans were put forward for the future of emergency care.

One plan calls for an expansion and refurbishment of the A&E at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford to be supported by a refurbished A&E at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother hospital in Margate.

The plan would also see an urgent care centre led by GPs treating patients at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

Meanwhile the second plan involves a new “shell” hospital being “gifted” to the East Kent NHS Trust (EKHUFT) for a new A&E department, but could risk the closure of the two existing A&Es.

But speaking at a full council meeting at KCC, Cllr Carter has urged the trust to find a third option of having three A&E departments in Ashford, Canterbury and Margate.

He said: “I am seriously concerned about the two options currently being proposed by East Kent Hospital Trust for a public consultation. I believe a third option must be developed.

“We need a new hospital for Canterbury to service the existing population of the catchment area, alongside their proposals for the QEQM and the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

“Most importantly the new hospital in Canterbury must have consultant-led A&E services, acute medicine and critical care, and access to surgical opinion.”

Cllr Carter said that despite advice from NHS England that Canterbury does not need a new hospital, he believes that the current population in the city and surrounding towns does justify a new hospital.

He added: “Simon Cook, the leader of Canterbury City Council is in full support, that we should press for a third option to be put on the table.”

But at a meeting of health commissioners, East Kent NHS deputy chief executive Liz Shutler explained that only two hospitals were needed to provide the right level of emergency care.

Cllr Carter said that if a third option isn’t created, he will be referring the decision to the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.