Last year was a standout year for media coverage of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, with our teams, services and innovations regularly featured across local and national media. From award‑nominated initiatives to powerful patient stories, the Trust continued to demonstrate the impact of compassionate care, clinical excellence and forward‑thinking improvements across our hospitals.

The year began with Channel 5’s A&E After Dark, which followed teams working in Tunbridge Wells Hospital’s Emergency Department. Filmed in 2024 and broadcast early in the new year, the series offered viewers a behind‑the‑scenes look at the fast‑paced, high‑pressure environment colleagues navigate every day.

February included celebrations of Tunbridge Wells Hospital Intensive Care Unit’s international recognition for its pioneering humanisation work, featured by BBC South East. The first of its kind to be awarded in the UK, the HU-CI accreditation recognised how the team supports the wellbeing of patients with serious and life-threatening conditions, their families and carers. BBC South East spoke to ICU Senior Sister, Lucy Gosnell, about what the accreditation means for the unit and its patients. In the same month, BBC News also covered the story of an injured Ukrainian soldier, Dmytro, who flew to the UK to receive NHS treatment following a letter from the Trust to the Ukrainian military outlining the care he would receive.

The following month, the contributions of several  international colleagues were celebrated in a special BBC South East report showcasing the diverse skills and experiences they bring to MTW. Health Correspondent, Mark Norman, spoke to Dr Chirollos Romani-Naguib, Chief Registrar, Joanne Cabiguen, Theatre Practitioner and Ashmi Varghese, Domestic Supervisor, about their experiences of living and working in the UK. The piece highlighted how invaluable  international colleagues are in enabling the Trust to provide outstanding patient care.

MTW’s efforts to reduce food waste were recognised in the media in April, with the Catering team shortlisted for a national award for its sustainability‑focused initiative. The food separation waste project helped the Trust cut its food waste by 18%, increasing recycling by 17% in just five months, an achievement that saw it shortlisted for a Letsrecycle.com Award in the Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management category.

Over the summer months, media attention turned to improvements in patient access and emergency care infrastructure. BBC South East covered a £170,000 donation to Maidstone Hospital from the HELP Charity, which saw the reopening of its helipad. The developments made using the funding helped to improve emergency access for critically ill patients. Also recognised in the media for improving patient access was the extension of the park and ride service at Maidstone to Hermitage Court, the site of the Community Diagnostic Centre.

The Tunbridge Wells Hospital Maternity team celebrated their improved CQC rating with a report by ITV Meridian exploring improvements made to the service. The rating followed an extensive programme of improvement addressing areas such as the management of post-partum haemorrhage, maternity triage processes and staffing ratios. Reporter James Dunham spoke to colleagues including Director of Midwifery, Rachel Thomas and Maternity Support Worker, Shiona Woodhams about their work providing safe, compassionate and high-quality care to local families.

A highlight from September was ITV Meridian’s coverage of robotic surgery success at Maidstone Hospital. The team opened the theatre doors to a reporter during an endometriosis excision surgery, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the benefits of robotic surgery on precision and recovery time. September also saw coverage of plans for a new pedestrian crossing by Maidstone Hospital, and a sponsored Kent Online feature on Wells Health, the Trust’s private arm that puts its profits back into our NHS services.

Coverage from Kent Online and BBC Kent in October highlighted the opening of the Undergraduate Medical Building at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, enabling the Trust to support an additional 96 medical students. KMTV also reported a visit from Karin Smyth MP, Minister of State for Health, who visited the Kent and Medway Orthopaedic Centre to mark its formal naming and first year anniversary. During her visit, the minister met staff and toured the multimillion pound facility, which has three state-of-the-art operating theatres and 24 beds, increasing capacity across Kent and Medway for routine orthopaedic operations.

November was an exciting month for media appearances, with two ITV Meridian reports broadcast about our services. The first featured Julian Pinhey, a professional model maker whose corneal transplant at Maidstone Hospital restored his vision. Performed by Miss Sundas Maqsood, Consultant Ophthalmologist, the corneal graft treated Julian’s eye disease, enabling him to continue the work he loves. Julian’s story raised awareness of the importance of cornea donations and encouraged viewers to consider registering their decision to donate corneal tissue.

Later that month, a reporter from ITV Meridian visited the West Kent Community Diagnostic Centre to report on the impact its diagnostic services are having on patient experience. Having delivered over 230,000 tests since it opened in 2023, the centre is helping to shorten waiting times and reduce pressure on hospital services. The reporter spoke to several patients, one of which described the service as “the NHS at its very, very best”.

November also saw the opening of a new garden for ICU patients at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, reported by KentOnline. Funded by a generous bequest from the late David Nicholson, who worked as the deputy administrator for nearly 40 years at the old Pembury Hospital, the space offers a peaceful and therapeutic outdoor area for critically ill patients and their families.

From awards to VIP visits, December was a busy end to the year. MTW colleagues spoke to ITV’s Tony Green on ITV Meridian News after Maidstone Hospital became the first in Kent to receive the Myeloma UK Clinical Service Excellence Programme Award.

The report was shortly followed by a surprise visit from TV personalities Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash, who presented young cancer patient, Kirsty, with the JustGiving Rising Star Award for her outstanding fundraising.

As the year drew to a close, temperatures dropped and demand on NHS services increased across the country, our Tunbridge Wells A&E team appeared on BBC South East. Helping to ensure patients can receive the right care in the right place, colleagues spoke to the camera about emergency department attendances, and which alternative services are available for non-life-threatening conditions.

These stories showcase just a few of the ways MTW developed its services and continued to provide high‑quality care in 2025. We look forward to sharing more positive stories this year as we continue to innovate, grow and support our communities.