Sheppey and Sittingbourne community hospitals have lost their X-ray departments.

The units, which work in conjunction with the minor injuries units and the wards, were temporarily shut on Thursday so staff can be moved to Gillingham to boost services at Medway Maritime Hospital which has a shortage of radiologists.

A source warned: "Obviously there is a staffing crisis at Medway because of the self-isolation pandemic but this defies the logic of the government guidelines.

"There will be people travelling on public transport (such at is) to Medway, which is a Covid-19 hot spot, potentially increasing the spread."

No one from the Medway Foundation Trust, which operates the X-ray departments, was available to comment.

But Ben McArdle, a spokesman for the Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Partnership said: “In other parts of the county satellite services are being stood down temporarily to support Covid-19 centres.”

Sheppey Community Hospital is in Plover Road, Minster, and Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital is in Bell Road. Anyone needing an X-ray must now go direct to Medway.

Read more: News from the Isle of Sheppey here.

Read more: Sittingbourne news here.

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