Hospital bosses have stood down a critical incident that was declared but have warned it remains under "considerable pressure".

Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham said it was running at "extremely high levels of occupancy" amid a significant rise in demands for services yesterday.

The trust says it is expecting to face "further challenges in the near future" suggesting more measures may need to be implemented over the Christmas period.

It comes after rising number of patients attending A&E (accident and emergency) meaning the department is very busy with staff struggling to discharge patients who are well enough to leave hospital leading to longer waits for patients to be seen and admitted.

But after less than 24 hours of the critical incident being declared and following a review and "hard work" with external partners, the trust says it is now in a position to maintain its critical services.

The hospital said: "We are grateful to everyone who has helped to relieve the pressure, and we would like to thank our brilliant teams across the Trust for their efforts in keeping patients safe.

"We apologise to any patients who have been affected by the critical incident, particularly those who had non-urgent operations or outpatient appointments rescheduled.

"Please note that our site remains under considerable pressure and we anticipate having to face further challenges in the near future.

"Our teams will continue to work exceptionally hard; you can help to reduce the pressures on our services by ensuring they only attend our ED for serious accidents and life-threatening emergencies.

"If you are unwell, please visit NHS 111 online, or call 111, for 24/7 advice about the most appropriate care for your needs."

KentOnline has asked for more information about the critical incident.