A doctor’s practice in Gillingham has failed to make the improvements needed to get out of special measures.

The CQC inspected The Surgery in Railway Street, Gillingham, run by Dr Samuel Bhasme, in July last year.

It was criticised for being unable to demonstrate it always follows infection prevention and control guidelines and arrangements for managing medicine did not always keep patients safe.

The practice was placed in special measures, after being rated good in its previous inspection in December 2014.

In March, inspectors returned to the practice and rated it inadequate for being safe, effective and well-led, requires improvement for being responsive to people’s needs and good for being caring.

Ruth Rankine, deputy chief inspector of General Practice CQC’s South region said: “Our inspectors had previously carried out an inspection at The Surgery Railway Street in July 2017 and this was a follow-up inspection on our initial concerns to review the actions the practice had taken since that first visit.

“While we have rated the service Good for being caring and we saw that staff treated patients with kindness and dignity, it is extremely worrying that the practice has failed to make sufficient improvements to ensure people receive high quality, safe care.

“With this in mind we had no option but to keep the practice in special measures for a further six months after which we will consider further action is sufficient improvements have not been made.”

The inspection found improvements to medicine management were still required, the practice did not have adequate arrangements for responding to emergencies and not all staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities.

For specific services for the elderly, people with long term conditions and families and young children the practice was also rated inadequate.

Dr Bhasme has been contacted for comment.