A medical practice in Welling has been plunged into special measures following a damming report by the medical watchdog.

Bexley Group Practice, in Upper Wickham Lane, has been rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission.

Following an inspection in June, the practice was rated as being inadequate for safety and 'well led' services, requiring improvement for being caring and responsive to people's needs, and as good for being effective.

In its damning report the CQC said the practice, which cares for more than 1,800 people, did not have the equipment to treat medical emergencies.

The report said: "The practice is rated as inadequate for the care of people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia). The practice was rated as inadequate for being safe and for being well-led.

"Patients were at risk of harm because systems and processes were not in place to keep them safe. Equipment recommended for treating certain medical emergencies was not available in the practice, and the practice did not have suitable systems and processes in place to ensure medicines were available, appropriately stored and fit for use.

"Special measures will give people who use the service the reassurance that the care they get should improve."

Inspectors found that there was no effective system for monitoring prescriptions that had not been collected, including ‘critical’ medicines such as those used to treat heart conditions, diabetes and children’s inhalers, some of which at Upper Wickham Lane had not been collected for over six months.

The service was rated as good for effectiveness, with inspectors finding that staff had skills to deliver effective treatment.

Services placed in special measures will be inspected again within six months.

Dr Nisha Nair senior partner, a senior partner of Bexley Group Practice, said they were shocked at the rating. 

She said: "When our current team took over in 2015, we knew that the premises were not fit for purpose to give the type of care we wish to give to our patients.

"When we finally secured a suitable premises, with excellent support from Bexley CCG, NHS England and our patients, we have succeeded in building a purpose built 21st century practice for our patients. This will open to the public on the 18th of December.

"In the initial detailed report of inspection, under various categories, CQC was praising us for all the good things we have done.

"We are so proud to get all this positive feedback from CQC. We feel that poor quality premises let us down even though people working in it are sincere and hard working and continue to give high quality safe and effective care to the patients.

"We are very confident and proud to say that we will continue our good work and our new premises will definitely improve patients' experience."