Patients are being asked their views on health care as part of an in-depth inspection of Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust.

A panel from the Care Quality Commission will hold a ‘listening event’ at Temple Hill community centre in Temple Hill Square, Dartford, from 6.30pm on Thursday, December 5.

It is being held to enable the public to share their experiences of care. Discussions will take place in small groups.

The hospital trust is one of the first wave of 18 in England to be inspected under radical changes being introduced by the CQC.

The eight key service areas that will be looked at are A&E, medical care (including frail elderly), surgery, intensive/critical care, maternity, paediatrics/children’s care, end of life care, and outpatients.

CQC chief inspector, Prof Sir Mike Richards, said: “We will be talking to doctors and nurses, hospital managers and patients in the hospitals.

“But it is vital that we also hear the views of the people who have had care at Darent Valley Hospital and the other services run by the trust, or anyone who wants to share information with us.

“This will help us plan our inspection, and so help us focus on the things that really matter to people who depend on this service.”

The inspection teams will be larger than previous ones, and headed up by clinical and other experts, including trained members of the public.

CQC is asking people who would like to attend the listening event to fill in an online form at www.cqclisteningevents.org.uk or call 03000 616161.

People are free to turn up on the evening even if they have not registered.

A full report of the inspectors’ findings will be published by the CQC later in the year.