Medway NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the troubled Maritime Hospital, has won national recognition - for great customer service.

The trust, which has been condemned for continually missing A&E waiting time targets and high death rates, was highly commended in the WOW Awards.

Organisers of the awards say they are "a truly unique way of raising customer service standards, improving employee engagement and bringing better results to the bottom line".

Medway came second in a "gala event" to Ashford & St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey in the "best NHS Trust" category.

The surprising accolade was revealed in the week when it was announced that another inspection found the hospital is still not making enough progress, with delays transferring patients from A&E and theatre top of the list of concerns.

The Care Quality Commission has once again rated the trust inadequate following an unannounced visit on December 9.

Last July, Medway was shamed in the House of Commons for being among a handful of trusts unable to get out of special measures.

The chief inspector of hospitals had "strong concerns" about standards at Medway Maritime, Jeremy Hunt told MPs.

The health secretary told MPs that Medway NHS Foundation Trust was one of just five out of 11 hospitals said to be failing last year which will remain in special measures until improvements are made.

He said: "The chief inspector continues to have strong concerns about Medway NHS Foundation Trust, an organisation with long-standing difficulties, care failings and high mortality rates going back to 2005.

"He recognises some progress, including the recruitment of 113 nurses but he is concerned about the sustainability of these improvements."

The chief inspector recommended a number of urgent improvement, including targeting staffing levels, addressing the "stacking" of patients in A&E and general patient flow through the hospital.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said Medway had barely shown any improvement, adding: "How can that be after a year in special measures?"