Sir Julian Brazier has waded into the furore surrounding the future of the Kent and Canterbury Hospital's urgent care centre - insisting it must stay open.

The Conservative's comments as it emerged that staff have been told that the centre - which treats acute people with medical illnesses such as heart attacks or strokes - is likely to close this spring.

Hospital bosses have refused to confirm they are closing the unit.

Sir Julian told KentOnline: "I share the local concern about the possible suspension or closure of the Kent and Canterbury's Urgent Care Centre, felt among staff and public alike.

"Our local Trust faces severe pressures on several fronts. The most immediate and pressing one is being able to staff and sustain safe rotas for consultants and other key staff.

"My immediate concern is to support the management in finding ways of sustaining the Urgent Care Centre through options including more use of locums.

"Medium term, we need a solution which keeps as many of our services as are sustainable at Canterbury."

Sir Julian says he has been lobbying Chancellor Philip Hammond for more money for hospital services in east Kent.

He has also been working with Faversham MP Helen Whately and the Kent and Christ Church universities on establishing medical school in east Kent.

"That would help restore this as a prime location for the best staff and set the seeds for getting national prioritisation," Sir Julian said.

"Long term, I still believe that the solution will one day be to have East Kent’s main centre for hospital services in Canterbury as the geographic centre. That will involves a building programme which is unaffordable at present."

Asked whether the urgent care centre would close, the trust said: "The trust routinely prepares possible business continuity responses should an issue arise that could affect our ability to provide services, for example ensuring we have sufficient workforce, so we can address any emerging issues.”