A TORY MP has claimed Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is in crisis after the resignation of the trust chairman, Anne Chapman.

Miss Chapman announced at a board meeting this week that she would step down as chairman at the end of June, although her term of office comes to an end in November.

She said leaving earlier would allow the trust to appoint a new chairman to work with the new chief executive expected to be announced in July.

The announcement comes in the same week that a report into waiting list irregularities at the trust was handed to strategic health chief.

The independent panel that carried out the inquiry has recommended further investigations to explain why 200 outpatients who waited more than 26 weeks for a consultant's appointment were not reported to the Department of Health as required.

After Miss Chapman's resignation, Tunbridge Wells MP Archie Norman said: "We have to recognise that the trust is in crisis. The last few months have seen a mounting series of problems.

"The Commission for Health Improvement report was highly critical, the investigation into waiting list fiddles revealed important shortcomings, the funding problems are mounting, and waiting times are still too long. The previous chief executive left in July."

Mr Norman said much of the fault lay with the Government and Miss Chapman had "put in incredible effort into maintaining and charting a course through the icebergs".

He added that he had arranged a meeting with Health Minister Hazel Blears to discuss the need for action and proper funding for the trust and to make sure that PFI funding for the new hospital at Pembury was safeguarded.

Miss Chapman, who said her resignation had nothing to do with the inquiry into the waiting list irregularities, said she had been privileged to serve as chairman of the trust.

She said: "As a local resident, to see the development of new services, the construction of buildings, the employment of new staff and the progress of plans for the new hospital has been wonderful and I am sure that out trust will continue to develop further in years to come."

Chatham and Aylesford's Labour MP Jonathan Shaw praised Miss Chapman's efforts as chairman. He said: "Anne has worked tirelessly to improve healthcare services for local residents over the past three years and this has been recognised by the fact that the trust was voted to be among the top 40 in the UK for each of the past three years."