Bosses at a "weak" NHS trust claim its hospitals will not need private management under new government proposals.

Under plans being announced today, the government will publish new standards for the quality of service, safety and financial performance for NHS trusts.

If trusts fail to turn things around within the required time, courses of action could include drafting in executives from other parts of the NHS or from companies such as BUPA.

The Maidstone and Tunbridge wells NHS Trust say they're confident they can make the grade - despite the weak rating given to them by the Healthcare Commission following a damning report in C-diff outbreaks last year.

Since then, many of trust's management and board have been replaced.

A spokesman for them said: "We have no reason at all to believe this trust will be subject to a management change.

"We have had our management change, with a new chief executive Glenn Douglas, and a new senior team.

"We are continually improving patient care as well as working towards a sustained financial balance, and have achieved massive improvements in infection control."