New hospital for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells

Alan Johnson said: “Since the C. difficile outbreak in 2005 the Trust has taken significant steps to bring down the incidence of infections and to make sure they have proper processes in place for managing any future outbreaks. It is vital that standards continue to improve at all three hospitals in the area.”

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals have recently undergone systematic cleaning of specific wards. The Trust received £300,000 in January and a further £420,000 in September 2007 to help reduce healthcare acquired infections. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells will also be one of the first Trusts to receive funding under the deep clean programme. Latest figures show that C. difficile rates at the Trust have fallen since the outbreak and are now just above the national average.