A multi-million pound hospital ward built with infectious and vulnerable patients in mind has still not opened – more than six months after it was completed.

The new £7.4 million Olive Ward is intended to boost bed space and reduce waiting times at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford.

Work on the 18-bed ward was expected to be completed in December but it has yet to open because of ongoing water and plumbing issues.

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust was handed the cash from a central NHS pot to construct the facility which will have single rooms with en-suite facilities, increasing its existing capacity from 463 beds.

Hospital bosses said it had been built "specifically with infectious patients in mind" and will feature the latest technology, including a special observation point for staff to monitor patients safely.

This will include patients with Covid-19 or other infectious diseases.

Ongoing delays are being caused by a water leak which occurred during installation and resulted in damage to a ceiling.

The ward was meant to be fully clinically operationally from the end of March and the Trust says it is working with its partners to "get these issues resolved" as soon as possible.

Cintia Bailey, a spokesman for Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, said: "The Trust was due to take ownership of the completed build at the start of this year.

"Before this handover, there was a water leak during installation that caused some limited damage to a ceiling and this was rectified through January and February."

She added: "It is important that we make sure the new ward is completely fit for patients and staff to use and currently there are some ongoing water and plumbing issues to resolve before we can sign it off for safe use.

"We are working with our partners to get these issues resolved and signed off as soon as possible."

Construction of the ward, which was confirmed in July last year, has meant the loss of 10 parking spaces in the hospital grounds. But the Trust says plans are already in place to recoup the lost slots.

Proposals for the ward were approved under an emergency planning application following consultation between the hospital and Dartford council planning officers.

Money for the project is being provided by the central NHS fund which is allocated to the Kent and Medway integrated care system.

It is one of two major capital projects the hospital Trust is undertaking.

The other is a new modular endoscopy unit, which has also been "significantly delayed" due to various challenges. A completion date has not yet been confirmed.

Olive ward was built using a modular building process, designed to speed up the project, with the majority of construction taking place offsite and craned into location.

It has been positioned at the eastern end of the hospital next to Cherry ward and replaces the building known as the Bungalow.

The L-shaped building will be connected to the main hospital by a new corridor.