Herne Bay's Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital has been told to improve its food hygiene after inspectors handed it a damning two-star rating.

Council environmental officers discovered that a kitchen used to store food brought in by family and friends for patients was also being used by staff preparing their own snacks and drinks.

A report released after the inspection called for urgent improvement at the site in King Edward Avenue.

City council spokesman Celia Glynn-Williams said: "Although the standard of cleanliness and systems in the main hospital kitchens were excellent, the inspector identified concerns relating to the use of the kitchen attached to Heron ward.

"The report highlighted concerns about labelling and dating of patients’ own food and storage arrangements, temperature checks and general hygiene procedures in the kitchen.

"Since the inspection, the hospital has been swift to put in place measures to address the problems we raised in our report and a further inspection to review the situation will take place in the next couple of months."

The hospital was inspected on Wednesday, February 17.

It was given a two-star rating out of five.

Sharon Barker, head of clinical services in Canterbury for Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, said the hospital is confident it has now improved its standards.

She said: "We are committed to providing the best care and highest standards at the hospital.

"We are confident we have met the requirements of the report..." - Sharon Barker

"We were pleased to see the report highlighted the good standards of hygiene and food safety in the main hospital kitchen.

"The report also noted our team's excellent cleanliness, commenting that the ward kitchen was 'sparklingly clean'.

"Our awareness of correct cross-contamination protocols and the needs of patients with allergies or a special diet were also highly-commended.

"We have acted on recommendations and colleagues entering the ward kitchen now wear a green apron and only use the kitchen to make food and drink for our patients and their visitors.

"They now use their own rest room to make their own drinks and meals.

"We are confident we have met the requirements of the report and would welcome a re-inspection in the near future."