A GP surgery in Gillingham has been branded inadequate for the third time - despite warnings from health regulators.

It follows a re-inspection in October by the Care Quality Commission at The Surgery in Railway Street, which is run by Dr Samuel Bhasme.

Following a visit in July 2017, when the practice was rated inadequate overall and placed into special measures for six months, a further inspection in March found insufficient improvements had been made.

It was was again rated inadequate, placed into special measures for a second period of time and issued with a warning notice.

At a focused inspection in June, inspectors found it had not made sufficient improvements in order to meet the warning notice issued. Following this inspection, the CQC imposed conditions on Dr Bhasme’s registration. These conditions included not taking on any new patients except new-born babies, fostered and adopted babies. Another was submitting monthly reports on safety management and action plans.

At the last re-inspection in October, the CQC found there had been insufficient improvements made. It was again rated inadequate overall as well as inadequate for providing safe, effective, responsive and well-led services.

‘It is consistently not providing care and treatment to patients in a safe way...’CQC

CQC deputy chief inspector, Ruth Rankine, said: “It is clear Dr Bhasme’s practice is consistently not providing care and treatment to patients in a safe way. “This can’t go on. After two periods of special measures, we have seen insufficient evidence that the practice is prepared to improve enough. The practice is still rated inadequate overall, reflecting the level of our concerns.

“We will continue to monitor the service, and will publish further details of action we are taking in due course.”

Key findings included: improvements to the systems, processes and practices that helped to keep patients safe and safeguarded from abuse were insufficient.

It had not made sufficient improvements to the assessment and management of risks to patients, staff and visitors.

Information to deliver safe care and treatment to patients was not always available.

Improvements to the arrangements for managing medicines to help keep patients safe were insufficient.

The practice was not keeping records of action taken (or if no action was required) in response to receipt of all notifiable safety incidents.

Not all staff were up to date with essential training.

Patients were not always able to access care and treatment from the practice within an acceptable timescale for their needs.

The practice was unable to demonstrate it had an effective system to manage complaints and concerns.