The contracts, which will begin on 27 October 2025 and run for at least five years, go to KCHFT's partnership with HCRG Care Group (HCRG) and Medway Community Healthcare (MCH).

Paul Bentley, chief executive of NHS Kent and Medway, said: ‘To deliver the ambitions of the NHS 10-Year Plan, strong community services will play a significant role.

‘The combined power of this partnership will help us achieve better outcomes for the people we serve by delivering more services in the community, at the best value.

‘People told us they wanted joined-up services where different professionals worked together more seamlessly and for us to reduce variation so everyone can access equitable levels of care. This partnership will help do that.

‘We will continue to gather feedback on what the people of Kent and Medway want and need throughout the lifetime of these contracts so they can continue to improve.'

Plans for improvements to the service are being developed and will be shared in the coming weeks. These will focus on making it easier for people to get the care that they need, strengthening the links between local health and social care services for more joined-up services and ensuring everyone receives the same standard of support —wherever they live.

Mairead McCormick, KCHFT chief executive, said: ‘We're stronger together, so I'm delighted to combine forces with HCRG Care Group and MCH to use our collective expertise and resources to improve care for adults and children across the county.

‘We each bring highly-skilled compassionate professionals, a deep understanding of our communities and a proven track record in transforming services.

‘Our common goal is to support people to live their best life. Working with GPs and other health and care partners, we will build neighbourhood health services that keep people well at home, investing in a future where proactive and preventive care leads the way.'