Leadership at Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust requires improvement
Inspection by the Care Quality Commission reveals concerns over management and inclusion practices
Last updated 8th Oct 2026
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated the leadership of Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust as requiring improvement following an inspection conducted in March.
This decision highlights significant concerns about the trust's management and culture, affecting the care provided to its approximately 1.8 million population across Kent and Medway.
Formerly known as Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), the trust was found lacking in effectively involving families in care processes and in addressing disparities among staff.
Serena Coleman, CQC’s deputy director of mental health, noted issues such as staff lacking confidence in management, and disparities faced by ethnic minority and disabled staff compared to white staff at board level:
"We found that while trust leaders were working really hard to embed a consistent organisational culture, there were challenges and staff didn't always feel confident in the leadership. And staff told us that they didn't always feel confident to be able to raise their concerns with managers or that if they did, those concerns would be acted upon.
"And this pointed to a culture where staff don't feel safe to raise issues through their normal management line.
"That feedback from staff is clearly concerning and we know the leadership team have taken it really seriously.
"People need to feel safe and confident speaking up when something isn't right and they need to know when they raise concerns, those concerns will be listened to and acted on."
Coleman stressed that diverse leadership is crucial for reflecting the community the trust serves. Despite these challenges, inspectors noted a successful programme reducing dementia diagnosis wait times.
Sheila Stenson, Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust Chief Executive, said:
"We recognise the CQC findings and the seriousness of the issues identified, particularly around governance, assurance and culture. We are sorry that there were areas where our performance, and the experience of some people using our services, were not where they should have been.
"We had begun addressing a number of these concerns before the inspection. We have strengthened our leadership and governance arrangements and published a trust-wide Quality Improvement Plan, bringing together the actions needed to deliver lasting improvements in the quality, safety and experience of care.
“While there is more to do, what matters now is making sure those improvements are embedded and are felt consistently by our patients, families and colleagues.”