Colleagues have paid tribute to the outgoing chief executive of Medway Maritime Hospital.

James Devine announced last month he was leaving his post at Medway NHS Foundation Trust.

It came just weeks after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published a damning report into the A&E and urgent care department.

Inspectors decided to downgrade it to its lowest rating following a visit just before Christmas.

They raised concerns about long delays in patients being handed over from ambulances arriving at the Gillingham hospital.

However, the visit did coincide with the second wave Covid surge and drew criticism from MP Kelly Tolhurst for its timing.

Mr Devine previously said there had been occasions when patients in ambulances were waiting eight hours to be transferred.

Since then, the trust had taken steps to drive down average waiting times and address CQC concerns about patients' safety.

Next month, Mr Devine will take up a job within the NHS Confederation as programme director for their acute trust.

Dr George Findlay will take over as hospital's interim chief executive, having previously worked at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

Addressing a public board meeting of the hospital's trust on Thursday, chairman Jo Palmer told how Mr Devine had "invigorated the hospital in many areas ensuring a compassionate and patient-centred approach".

She said: "Whether visiting a ward, addressing hundreds of staff at a briefing, or meeting housekeepers and porters at the end of a night shift, he has impressive ability to relate to colleagues and walk in their shoes."

Mr Devine joined the trust in 2016 as executive director of HR before being appointed as deputy chief executive and then chief executive two-and-a-half years ago.

He said: "I want to record my thanks to all of our 4,500 colleagues across the hospital and our volunteers for the support they have afforded me across the last almost five years, but certainly the last two-and-a-half year as a chief executive.

"I've been very proud that Medway has been my local hospital and it's been a real privilege to be the chief executive."

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