Councillors have demanded an urgent meeting with bosses at Medway Maritime Hospital following another damning report into care.

The hospital in Gillingham has been told it must remain in special measures until a long list of improvements are made.

It follows an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which uncovered a catalogue of failings. The report, published on Thursday, revealed too few nurses and doctors on duty, a cramped A&E with patients left ‘stacked’ in corridors, long delays in surgery and outpatients clinics and consultants not providing seven-day care.

The report also criticised the instability in leadership at the trust which inspectors said had a “serious impact” on the day-to-day running of the hospital.

Among the urgent changes the trust has been told to make are improvements in A&E and making sure departments are sufficiently staff by competent staff.

Medway Council has called for an urgent meeting with chairman Christopher Langley and the newly appointed chief executive Philip Barnes.

Leader of the council Cllr Rodney Chambers, Cllr David Brake, who is in charge of health, and chief executive Neil Davies will be meeting with the pair to discuss the report and what can be done.

Cllr Chambers said: “We will offer support to help the hospital improve, because that is what is needed for the residents of Medway who rely upon its services.”

Cllr Brake said: “I am very disappointed with the outcome of the CQC inspection. It identified that there are still a lot of issues that need to be addressed. I would have expected more progress to have been made.

“A&E is an immediate cause for concern as well as safety. People should be admitted to the hospital with certain knowledge that they are safe.”

The inspection team made an announced visit to the hospital over three days in April, followed by one-day unannounced visit on May 1. The CQC are due to return in the next few months.