A report on the state of maternity services in England has ranked an Ashford hospital trust as the worst-performing in the county.

The Health Commission report published today stated the Ashford and St Peters Hospital Trust was rated as least well performing, with a low number of women getting antenatal appointments.

Nationally, the report found beds for women giving birth in hospital were in short supply.

There were also not enough showers or toilets, with some beds used for more that one birth a day.

The Healthcare Commission’s research involving 150 NHS Trusts has raised concerns in antenatal and postnatal services, in particular in relation to staffing and teamwork.

The commission is now urging the NHS to “redouble” its efforts to improve maternity units at a special launch of its report at a health conference in Birmingham.

In Kent, the East Kent Hospitals Trust was rated as providing a 'fair' midwifery service, but it says it has already made a number of improvements since it was assessed nine months ago.

The Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and Medway NHS Trust were also rated as fair.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, however, came top of the county with a rating of “better performing”.

Sir Ian Kennedy, the commission's chairman, who will be addressing 200 health professionals at the launch, said: “I know that many trusts are already working on the points that we then raised.

“Boards of trusts are now reviewing their performance and acting where necessary.”

The nationwide report was prompted by investigations into deaths at maternity units around the country.