Troubled Medway hospital has been given £13.4 million to tackle its overcrowded and under-performing emergency department by the Department of Health.

The hospital was placed in special measures last year, after the Keogh report into high death rates which branded the department “completely inadequate”.

Medway’s A&E was designed to see 50,000 people a year, but patient numbers now stand at 90,000. During the latest inspection, the Care Quality Commission found it was not providing safe and appropriate care.

In the last 12 months, 10 patients have waited more than 24 hours to be treated. The longest wait was 34 hours and 54 minutes. Last month it was 27 hours and 50 minutes.

In November only 80.5% of patients were seen within four hours and Medway’s A&E was rated the second worst in the country by patients in a survey.

The £13.4 million will allow hospital bosses to continue ongoing work to improve care in A&E.

In July, the Trust took urgent action to change the way patients were initially assessed after the CQC found children and adults waiting too long.

On Monday the hospital opened a dedicated children’s A&E department.

Dr Phillip Barnes, acting chief executive, said: “The Department of Health has approved funding of £13.4 million to support redevelopment of the emergency department. This is fantastic news for Medway and provides a solid foundation to really drive improvements in the department in 2015.

“The new funding will support the much needed redevelopment of the emergency department and improve emergency care and experience for our patients.”

Conservative councillor Kelly Tolhurst, a candidate in last month’s Rochester and Strood by-election, who sits on Medway’s health board, said: “We have to make sure that the hospital is given the tools to be able to improve. We need to challenge the hospital but we also need to be supportive to drive these changes through.

“There are challenges that will take time to improve. I’m very pleased the funding has come this side of Christmas.”