Health watchdogs have taken the drastic step of closing two surgeries and a practice in Medway "to protect patients" because of their combined poor performance.

The services at Balmoral Gardens Healthy Living Centre, Gillingham, St Werburgh medical practice, Hoo and surgeries in Stoke Village Hall - which cared for a total of 11,000 patients - will no longer operate.

All three have been run by private company DMC since September 2018 and have been shut following inspections by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Announcing the decision, Wilf Williams from Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: "Patients do not need to take any action.

"The CQC's decision means patients will be seen by an alternative healthcare professional in the immediate future, but they can still ring the surgery as usual.

"Patients will be directed to an appointment with the Improved Access Primary Care Hub, which provides additional capacity to our GP practices.

"We have been supporting the provider for some time, focussing on putting the correct governance, policies and procedures in place to enable staff to transform the services offered to patients.

"Unfortunately, insufficient progress was made but we will continue to work with them, while also insuring temporary arrangements are in place."

The Kent and Medway CCG, which funds and oversees the management of healthcare, published a statement after St Werburgh Medical Practice was inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) last week.

It said: "CQC inspectors visited St Werburgh Medical Practice in Hoo on Friday, June 19.

"As a result of this inspection, the CQC took urgent enforcement action at 5pm on Wednesday, June 24 to protect patients using services there, and also in their branch surgeries of Stoke Village Hall and Balmoral Gardens Healthy Living Centre."

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