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#Patientfirst
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January 2025
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Happy New Year!
 While many of us enjoyed some time off with friends and family at the end of December, our fantastic teams continued to work throughout the festive period to care for patients. Colleagues spread some seasonal cheer for everyone spending time in our hospitals over Christmas and the New Year, while working hard to keep everyone safe.
Last year, our teams cared for over one million patients and this incredible achievement was only possible thanks to the skill and dedication of all our staff. Everyone across MTW's hospitals played an integral role in helping us look after patients and support our local communities.
On behalf of everyone at the Trust, a big thank you to our patients, visitors and our partner organisations for your invaluable support. We wish you all a very happy and healthy 2025!
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Trust stars in new Channel 5 series
 The wait is finally over – the new series of Channel 5’s ‘A&E After Dark’, featuring our fantastic Emergency Department (ED) teams at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, is now airing!
Tunbridge Wells is one of three hospitals featured in series six of the show, broadcast on 5STAR every Thursday at 9pm. Each of the 12 episodes will be available to stream on the My5 app after broadcast.
The film crew spent five weeks filming our teams over the summer, with cameras following colleagues working the night shift to capture what happens behind the scenes of one of the best-performing EDs in the country.
The latest series is the second which MTW has been involved in, and highlights the outstanding care our teams deliver to patients. The previous series, which also featured the Trust, drew in an average of over 250,000 viewers each week and was one the top-performing shows on 5STAR.
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Enjoy free travel to our hospitals |
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Our free park and ride service is now up and running, offering a convenient and more sustainable way for you to visit our hospitals.
Using the park and ride service is simple and free:
- Park your car at one of our free car parks near Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals.
- Jump on the bus to the hospital. Buses run Monday to Friday, every half an hour from 6.40am to around 9pm, depending on the hospital. The journey time is approximately 10 minutes, depending on traffic.
- Get the bus back to your car.
Free parking on site at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals continue for a number of patient and visitor groups, including Blue Badge holders, cancer and renal patients, and parents of babies in the Neonatal Unit.
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Intensive Care Unit first in UK to receive international certification
 The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Tunbridge Wells Hospital has become the first in the UK to receive the prestigious HU-CI international accreditation.
The HU-CI Project evaluates different aspects of intensive care, and Tunbridge Wells Hospital scored an ‘Excellent’ rating across 160 standards, ensuring the best care possible is being delivered.
Intensive care units support people with serious and life-threatening conditions, and can be overwhelming places for patients and their families. The HU-CI project focuses on supporting the wellbeing of the patient, their family and the healthcare team around them.
The ICU team scored highly for initiatives such as their garden with bed and wheelchair access, and having an ‘open door’ so relatives can visit and feel involved.
Research has shown that hospitals with HU-CI certification have seen a reduction in patients’ length of stay in intensive care, and a decrease in the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
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Welcoming our newest arrivals |
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 Our staff welcomed over 5,000 babies into the world last year, including twins Alfie and Oliver (pictured left), who were born either side of midnight on Christmas Day, meaning they will each have their own birthday to celebrate.
Proud parents Julia and Duncan (pictured right) celebrated a very special arrival on New Year's Day, when their son was the first baby born at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in 2025 - much to the delight of big brother Max and big sister Evie!
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Radiation engineers hit the headlines
 Last year the Radiotherapy teams in the Kent Oncology Centre delivered just under 60,000 treatments to patients. Our Senior Radiation Engineers played a key part in making this possible, as they ensure the state-of-the-art equipment used is performing at its best.
This team of experts have recently had their work recognised nationally after having an article published in the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine’s magazine, Scope. The article details their project to develop a software tool that manages the data logs from radiation therapy machines, and identifies any maintenance needs. This ensures the life-saving equipment performs as efficiently as possible, helping thousands of radiotherapy patients get even quicker treatment.
The work of our expert engineers has contributed to MTW becoming one of the best performing cancer centres in the country. The team are now looking forward to implementing further improvements and exploring more innovative projects that will benefit patients receiving radiotherapy treatment.
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Help to shape the NHS
The NHS has been supporting the health of everyone for over 76 years. To make sure it is fit for the future, the Government needs your help.
They are calling on the public to share your experiences of our health service, and to give your opinion on the NHS’ future.
Your views and ideas are important, and will help to shape the Government’s 10-Year-Plan for Health for England.
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