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Princess Anne to visit Medway Maritime Hospital and Maidstone Hospital on Kent tour

The Princess Royal will be visiting two hospitals on a visit to the county next week.

Newborn babies could be getting the royal seal of approval when Princess Anne heads to Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham to visit the maternity ward.

Princess Anne smiles for the waiting crowds on a previous visit to Kent
Princess Anne smiles for the waiting crowds on a previous visit to Kent

On Wednesday she will be touring the ward as well as the emergency department at the hospital in Windmill Road.

She will also be heading to Maidstone Hospital to officially open the facility's new helipad.

The Princess Royal is a patron of The Royal College of Midwives and The Royal College of Emergency Medicine, so will be looking at improvements made by staff at Medway's award-winning unit.

Hospital chief executive, James Devine, said: “We are delighted and proud to be welcoming The Princess Royal to our hospital.

"It has been a fantastic 12 months for the Trust.

"Phase one of the development of our new £11.5 million Emergency Department development was completed last year.

Princess Anne will also be attending Maidstone Hospital on the same day. Picture: Vikki Lince
Princess Anne will also be attending Maidstone Hospital on the same day. Picture: Vikki Lince

"Phase two is due to be completed shortly, and phase three will begin in January 2020.

"Phase one saw the opening of seven new resuscitation bays, four Rapid Assessment Area bays, four newly-built ‘majors’ bays to treat both ambulance and walk-in patients and a dedicated entrance for ambulance crews.

“In March this year, our midwives won the coveted Midwifery Services of the Year at the Royal College of Midwives Awards.

"We have a lot to be proud of.

“We are looking forward to introducing The Princess Royal to our award-winning midwives and showcasing our new state-of-the-art emergency facilities that will support our emergency department team to deliver the best of care to our most unwell patients.”

Princess Anne at the opening of the Medway Tunnel in 1996
Princess Anne at the opening of the Medway Tunnel in 1996

The last member of the Royal Family to visit the hospital was Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex who opened Abigail’s Place, the Trust’s maternity bereavement suite.

The Queen's daughter's visit comes weeks after her mother went to meet veterans at the Royal British Legion Village in Aylesford last month to celebrate the site's 100th anniversary.

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