It’s 25 years in 2025 since the two former Trusts merged together to form Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. It came after reports into duplicated service & efficiency of ageing hospitals. Here’s how the two trusts newsletters kept staff informed & the consultation @MTWnhs

The sewing room at the Kent & Sussex Hospital in the 60’s. @MTWnhs

@BelgiansRTW

One of the first @MTWnhs Hospital Fetes at the new Maidstone Hospital in 1985.

Visiting at hospitals was closely controlled by the Matron and policed by the Ward Sister - In Tunbridge Wells tickets were issued! This from the 1950s.@MTWnhs

The opening of the Culverden Wing at the Kent & Sussex Hospital in 1985. This housed a new ICU, ED, theatres and kitchens. @MTWnhs

These displays were inside the old part of the Kent & Sussex Hospital originally so Switchboard could see which key staff were in he building. @MTWnhs

On the theme of theatres - ENT & Eye theatres were on Level 6 and moved from the Tunbridge Wells Ear and Eye hospital which closed in 1934 to amalgamate with the General Hospital in the new Kent & Sussex Hospital.@MTWnhs

The Honeywell theatres pictured were converted inside the original theatres on Level 5 of the @MTWnhs Kent & Sussex Hospital with improved ventilation. Here in the last week of service in 2011. The doors were original from 1934.

Two great behind the scenes photos from the @MTWnhs Kent & Sussex Hospital in the 1960s - catering and the supplies team!

Here is the opening ceremony of the Kent & Sussex Hospital in 1934. The hospital was opened with a golden key (whereabouts unknown!) before tours costing 1/- took place. The last pic is the staff of the hospital. @MTWnhs

The courier newspaper Peanut Club funded most of the equipment, decorations & toys for the Children’s Ward at the @MTWnhs Kent & Sussex Hospital. It was named Princess Elizabeth Ward after the late Queen. The club appeals helped other improvement like the nurses home.

These pics were taken the day the last patients moved out of the old Pembury Hospital building into phase 1 of the new build in November 2010 @MTWnhs

Construction of the ambulance bay @MTWnhs Tunbridge Wells Hospital in February 2011

So it’s Winnie the Pooh Day - what better tribute to local AA Milne than remembering our connection with the author than his public appeal for the new Kent & Sussex Hospital in 1932. @MTWnhs

Communities supported hospitals in many ways before the NHS - here the linen league helped repair and supply linen to the Kent & Sussex Hospital. Each community or parish contributed and they saw the hospital as their hospital @MTWnhs

It’s the anniversary of the birth of Amelia Scott today - born on 1860 a huge reformer at the workhouse at Pembury seeing it develop into a county hospital. We have the memorial window to her work at Pembury still today. @MTWnhs @theamelia_tw

Here is an invoice for the @MTWnhs Kent & Sussex Hospital in 1937 however someone has mistyped the date in the received with thanks!

An invitation to hear about the wonder of radium at the Tunbridge Wells General Hospital in 1912 - where the hospital had been one of the first to use it. Its dangers were not fully understood & the first radiographer had his hand amputated due to radiation burns @MTWnhs