FIVE hospital departments run by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust have received cash injections totalling more than £560,000.

The money has been awarded by the Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority to help improve patient access to service and further reduce waiting times.

Among the departments to benefit are the Accident and Emergency departments at Maidstone Hospital and Kent & Sussex Hospital, Tunbridge Wells. Maidstone has received £158,606 and Kent & Sussex £63,850.

Bernard Place, the trust's director of nursing, said the awards to the two departments were in recognition of the effort and achievements of a large number of staff working together to improve emergency services.

He said the cash would be used to buy equipment such as patient monitoring, diagnostic and patient testing equipment, to further improve the quality of service offered.

About 80 per cent of patients currently seen at the departments are treated, discharged or transferred within the Government's four-hour target.

Mr Place said: "We have improved the quality of care in our A&E departments at both Maidstone and the Kent and Sussex Hospitals and increased the number of patients meeting the four-hour standard."

He added that the money would help the Trust in its push to achieve the four-hour standard for all patients.

The other awards went to the Trust's blood transfusion department which received £105,000 to buy a cross-match and grouping machine.

Gynaecology received £75,000 to purchase a paediatric ultrasound machine for Pembury Hospital and the Trust's critical care service received £60,000 to buy an anaesthetic machine, X-ray trolley and other equipment for Pembury.