Almost a year after it closed, Lakeside Medical Centre has reopened its doors for business again.

Staff returned to the site in Todd Crescent, Kemsley, on Monday.

For the past 10 months people registered with the centre have been attending clinics at Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital three miles away.

The arrangement has been in place since the surgery’s sole GP, Dr Bijan Saha, retired last year.

His departure came after the practice was criticised in a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report as being an “unacceptable risk” to its 2,628 patients.

It had also failed to meet any of the 11 standards checked.

NHS England (Kent and Medway) said Dr Saha had taken on four GPs from Swale as partners at the centre in Todd Crescent and that it would “stay open” during the transfer.

However, when patients arrived on June 30 it was closed.

Minster Medical Group has now taking over the practice.

The new number for patients to call is 01795 424315.