A Sittingbourne GP practice has been put into special measures after health inspectors labelled it "inadequate".

Green Porch Medical Centre led by Dr Amechi Adigwe was visited by the Care Quality Commission and found to be inadequate for safety, effectiveness and being well led.

The surgery in Green Porch Close, Milton Regis, needs improvement for its responsiveness but was marked good for being caring.

If there is no improvement in the practice, which looks after 8,700 patients, within six months its registration could be removed.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth, chief inspector of medical services and integrated care, said: "I am placing this service in special measures. If insufficient improvements have been made (within six months)... we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures to begin the process of preventing the provider from operating the service."

She warned: "This will lead to cancelling their registration or to varying the terms of their registration within six months if they do not improve."

The announced inspection took place on January 18. The report was published on Friday.

The surgery only moved into its new premises on March 15 last year after the coronavirus pandemic caused delays to building work. Other GPs working there are Dr Ada Eze, Dr Modupe Martins and Dr Awadh Jha according to its website.

The premises, opened by Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson and run by Green Porch Medical Partnership, have six consulting rooms, enhanced treatment facilities and a pharmacy. Last summer the practice, which amalgamated patients from Lakeside Medical Centre in Todd Crescent, Kemsley, and a surgery Milton Regis High Street, came under fire from patients complaining they were forced to hold "for hours" to get through to reception on the telephone.

Swale council gave permission to convert the former Green Porch Family and Mediation Centre into a surgery and four bedsits in 2019.

The inspectors found the practice’s computer system did not alert staff of all children on the risk register; recruitment checks were not always carried out in accordance with regulations and with no evidence of references; staff vaccination status especially for hepatitis b was not always maintained in line with current Public Health England guidance and improvements to infection prevention and control were required.

They said arrangements for managing medicines did not always keep patients safe; patients’ needs were not always assessed and care as well as treatment were not always delivered in line with current legislation, standards or guidance.

Patients with long-term conditions were not always receiving relevant reviews and the practice was not taking enough action to improve performance relating to child immunisations and cervical screening.

Not all staff were up to date with essential training and did not have access to regular appraisals.

Inspectors failed to find emergency equipment such as a paediatric pulse oximeter; an adult oxygen mask; a paediatric oxygen mask; a paediatric nebuliser mask; dexamethasone oral solution or glucagon/glucogel.

But they found cleaning products harmful to health stored in au unlocked cleaning cupboard.

The report added: "There was compassionate leadership at all levels. However, improvement in awareness of leaders to required improvements to quality, safety and performance was necessary."