Silenced fire alarm put Weymouth care home residents at risk, report says

CQC inspectors visited the care home twice in August

A care home, where fire alarm was disabled hours before a fire broke out, has been placed in special measures.

Inspectors visited Trafalgar Care Home in Weymouth twice in August after concerns over fire safety and staffing.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found staff at the home - for people with dementia and cognitive impairment - were "not always well supported".

Operator Agincare said it had taken the CQC's report "extremely seriously" and made changes.

Three hours before firefighters were called to a "small fire" at the home, inspectors found the fire alarm was silenced after an undisclosed incident. No one was injured.

The home's alarm operator was not contacted and inspectors said the decision to leave it off put residents at "high risk of harm".

A fire drill took place in March 2020 but some staff refused to take part, the report found. Another should have been held soon after but did not take place until January this year.

Inspectors also found a resident who was unable to leave the home safely alone had worked out how to open a secure door in May.

'Immediate action'

However, an alarm was only fitted to the door in August, giving the resident access to it throughout that time.

Personal protective equipment was not always worn properly, the report said.

A member of staff was seen taking off their face mask, using it as a fan and wearing it around their neck as they served meals, without being challenged by other staff members.

Agincare employs more than 3,500 people and owns 20 care and nursing homes across England.

Its chief operating officer Tim Buckley said the health and welfare of its residents and staff is "absolutely paramount", that it had taken the CQC's findings "extremely seriously" and had taken "immediate action" in August.

Mr Buckley said he was confident the home was now safe and well-led after a new manager had been appointed.

"We accept and apologise that there were areas where we fell short of the expected high quality our residents, their loved ones and ourselves expect and deserve," he added.