The interim chief executive of a hospital trust says there are "challenges ahead" but is positive about preliminary feedback from recent scrutiny.

Dr George Findlay from Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham says two visits have been made by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in recent days.

These follow a damning report published earlier this year on the findings of an inspection on the hospital's emergency department which was conducted just before Christmas during the second wave of the Covid pandemic.

During the inspection – which was criticised for its timing by Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst – concerns were raised about long delays in patients being handed over from ambulances arriving at the hospital.

Inspectors came back last Wednesday to look at their medical and older persons' care and returned yesterday (Wednesday, May 5) to analyse infection prevention and control.

Dr Findlay, who took up his post earlier this week, said so far there had been "high-level feedback" with a couple of issues which were raised which inspectors described as "niggles".

He added inspectors had been positive about the conversations they had with staff during their visits.

Addressing a virtual meeting of the trust's public board this afternoon (Thursday, May 6), Dr Findlay said: "We have got a lot of challenges ahead to be a better provider for our community, but we only do that when we look after our staff well."

Tony Ullman, one of the trust's non-executive directors, said following the inspector's visit to the emergency department last year, it was "really good that we saw improvements very quickly and that improvement have so far been sustained".

The CQC currently rates the entire hospital in Windmill Street as "requires improvement".

Their inspectors are due to visit the hospital again before the end of May before publishing their final reports.

They will also be looking into the hospital's leadership, which is currently rated as "inadequate".

To keep up-to-date with all the latest developments with your local hospitals and other health stories, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway