Kent East part of a new government programme to improve NHS Trusts

Secretary of State for Health and Social care Wes Streeting announced this week that East Kent would be included among the first five NHS Trusts to receive tailored improvement, alongside Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust and Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust.

MPs from across the area have responded to the news, welcoming the new programme, including Sojan Joseph, MP for Ashford, who called it an "opportunity for improvement across the board here in East Kent". While Rosie Duffield, MP for Canterbury said:

"We have a real problem recruiting and retaining doctors, nurses, senior healthcare professionals and lower paid workers because it's so expensive to be Canterbury. We're right at the end of the country in terms of transport links. So, we have our own specific issues. We've always had problems. We've always been dramatically underfunded...So it's great to hear from someone but it's not by any means new to us and what we need is serious investment and Kent specific action. I've told many a health minister over the past that we're really struggling. So let's hope to see change."

Polly Billington, MP for East Thanet, told us:

“For too long, services in East Kent have fallen short compared to other parts of the country. The decision to place the East Kent Hospital Trust in the NHS Intensive Recovery Programme reflects the scale of the challenge and ensures the Trust will now receive focused, hands-on support to drive improvement. Staff at QEQM and across East Kent have been under intense pressure, and this intervention will give them the backing they need to deliver safe, timely, high-quality care for patients in East Thanet."

While Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp added:

"Residents are understandably concerned, particularly following the meningitis outbreak and the impact of delays on local families. People in Dover and Deal should be able to rely on their NHS to respond quickly and safely when it matters most.

Placing East Kent Hospitals Trust into the Intensive Recovery Programme recognises the seriousness of these challenges and is a step in the right direction. The additional support should help reduce waiting times, improve patient safety, and raise standards of care.

It’s also important to recognise the dedication of NHS staff across East Kent, who continue to work under significant pressure. With the right backing, there is a real opportunity to strengthen services and ensure local people get the care they need, when they need it."

When asked for a comment Kent East Hospital said:

“Our priority is ensuring our community has the best possible health service, so we welcome this bespoke support to tackle the long-standing challenges within our Trust and improve waiting times for patients.

“We recognise how hard our staff work every day to provide safe care for patients, and we are very grateful. We look forward to significant, sustained and positive changes for both patients and staff."