DARENT Valley Hospital has expanded its maternity and gynaecology departments to meet rising patient demand.

Both departments have moved to bigger wards after a £1.3m refurbishment, following an increase in the number of babies delivered at the hospital from 2,601 in 2001 to 3,600 last year.

The new facilities were officially opened by the president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Sir Sabaratnam Arulkmaran, on May 28.

Rob MacDermott, the hospital’s clinical director for women’s services, said: “Darent Valley maternity services are now hugely in demand and we are seeing more mothers than ever before. “Many are now choosing our services from out of the area and I believe we now offer one of the most modern and comprehensive maternity services available in the county.”