Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) has been awarded £645,000 to ease pressure on its accident and emergency departments.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced £20.74million of funding to 27 hospitals in England today.

Seventy hospitals received £55.98m in April. The money is part of ring-fenced spending announced in the Spring Budget.

Mr Hunt said: “The NHS prepares well in advance for winter each year, but despite the hard work and dedication of staff, demand on services continues to increase as a result of our ageing population.

“This vital investment will helpMaidstone and Tunbridge Wells change the way they assess and see patients so people are given the most appropriate medical care as quickly as possible.”

The funding will be used to help hospitals equip themselves ahead of winter, particularly to handle the large volumes of patients attending A&E.

Hospitals will be able to stream patients when they arrive in A&E, with a clinician assessing their needs and deciding where they can receive the most appropriate care.

It will also allow hospitals to build GP practices within their A&E units where patients with less urgent needs can receive treatment.

NHS England has set targets for A&E departments to reach by 2018. This includes transferring or discharging 95% of patients within four hours.

MTW runs A&E departments at its Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells sites.