A troubled hospital trust has been given a £6 million lifeline for its emergency wards as it battles against low ratings from inspectors.

A report published this week on East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust criticised its waiting times and staff shortages, although it said some areas have improved.

The trust announced today it has secured £6.4m in national funding for new observation wards at its emergency departments at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

The wards will help the trust prepare to be "winter ready", and free up space during the most demanding periods so that patients can be cared for away from busy emergency departments.

The new wards are one part of preparations to be “winter ready” and improve the experience for patients in east Kent’s hospitals, as well as giving staff a better environment to work in.

The trust is also taking action to avoid planned operations being cancelled this winter.

Planned hip and knee replacement operations currently undertaken at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford will take place at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury this winter, supported by dedicated beds and staff.

At Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate extra capacity will be used in the separate trust-owned Spencer wing.

Chief executive Susan Acott said: “This funding is excellent news for east Kent patients.

"It means people who need an extended period of observation will no longer have to stay in the emergency departments during this time, so we will be able to provide the care they need in a much more suitable environment while at the same time releasing much-needed physical space in our emergency departments.

“Alongside the many other measures we are taking to prepare for winter, which include investing in more staff, this puts us in a much stronger position to provide the standards of care we want for patients during busy winter periods.

“It’s a great boost for our staff who work hard to give the best possible care they can in a service that’s often under a great deal of pressure.

"We are absolutely delighted that the need to press ahead with investment in east Kent’s hospitals has been recognised.”

The trust has also invested £13.5 million to increase staffing and expand services ahead of this winter.

Further plans include the creation of more beds, aiming to see, treat and discharge more people on the same day, making a CT scanning service seven days a week, and recruiting more nurses, doctors and consultants in emergency departments.