A GP surgery with 8,100 patients has been branded ‘inadequate’ in a critical report by health watchdogs.

The Umar Medical Centre, in Blackburn, was slated after an inspection in March and has now been put in special measures.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said it would move to close the practice unless improvements are made over the coming months.

Professor Steve Field, chief inspector of general practice at the CQC, said: “The service will be kept under review and if needed could be escalated to urgent enforcement action.

“Where necessary, another inspection will be conducted within a further six months, and if there is not enough improvement we will move to close the service by adopting our proposal to remove this location or cancel the provider’s registration.”

Watchdogs identified a series of problems at the medical centre in Lime Street.

They said it was inadequate for providing safe, effective, responsive and well-led services, while it ‘requires improvement’ for its care.

Inspectors said that patients found the appointment system confusing to use and could not always access care when they needed it.

Patients also rated the practice lower than others for many aspects of care.

Quality of care for older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people, the vulnerable and mentally were all rated ‘inadequate’.

But the medical centre was praised for treating patients with kindness, respect and compassion.

The report said: “Staff understood patients’ personal, cultural, social and religious needs."

“Staff recognised the importance of patients’ dignity and respect.”

The surgery was unavailable for comment when approached by the Lancashire Telegraph.

Meanwhile, CQC inspectors also branded the now closed Abbey Surgery in Abbey Street, Accrington, as ‘inadequate’.

Watchdogs said it was inadequate for providing safe, effective, responsive and well-led services, while it required improvement for its care, during an inspection in March.

CQC inspectors said: "Care and treatment were not consistently delivered in line with evidence-based best practice guidelines.

“Patient consultation records were not appropriately maintained.

The surgery closed suddenly in April after it emerged Dr Alec Yolomoni Kapenda, who ran the surgery, was declared bankrupt.