The opening of a hospital’s new emergency department has been delayed for a third time.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust said “last-minute additional minor works” still need to be completed on the upgrade for Medway Maritime Hospital.

This has further pushed back when staff and patients can start using the facilities.

The project was originally due to be completed in May – in time for a June opening – however the contractor struggled to find “specialist skilled labourers” to carry out the work.

At a meeting last month, trust director of estates and facilities Gary Lupton insisted the new department was “on track” to be ready by the “end of July or early August”.

However, Mr Lupton has now admitted to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that there have been further delays since his last public update.

He said: “Due to the need to complete some last-minute additional minor works in the building, the handover of the new department has been delayed by a few weeks.

“Pending the final inspections and certification, we are now expecting the department to be formally handed over to us later this month, and to be open and treating patients in early September.”

An £18millon contract – which also included building a new children’s department, minors area, and majors waiting area at the hospital in Gillingham – was awarded to Integrated Health Projects in 2016.

Speaking earlier this year, executive director of clinical operations James Lowell said the delays have had no impact on providing care to patients.