Covid-19: Fakenham care home in special measures over virus concerns

The Maltings Care Home in Fakenham has been placed in special measures by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission

A care home that failed to properly follow government Covid-19 guidelines has been put in special measures by a health watchdog.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said it saw staff without appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) at The Maltings in Fakenham, Norfolk.

A resident was also readmitted from hospital and not isolated, with staff unclear if the person had been tested.

Its operator said an "action plan" had been started immediately.

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The home has 39 residents aged over 65 and is run by one of the UK's largest care home groups, Four Seasons Health Care, which went into administration last year.

While putting it in special measures, inspectors downgraded its rating from "requires improvement" to "inadequate" following their visit at the end of August.

'Needs not met'

The CQC report said "basic care needs were not met for some people", with issues raised over infection prevention, medicine management, record-keeping and fire safety.

"We saw staff providing care and support with no masks on, including helping people to eat their meals and preparing food," the CQC said.

"PPE was not used appropriately by staff administering medicines... [and] some areas of the service were not clean."

However, the report did not say whether or not the home had had any Covid-19 cases.

The CQC also noted:

• Not all staff had infection control training, with agency workers' knowledge and understanding unchecked

• Workers unclear about latest Covid-19 guidelines

• Residents did not always receive medicines as prescribed and some were not stocked - with one person going without a morphine patch for five days

• Four Seasons failed to investigate for more than a week after the CQC pointed out unsafe medicine management

• Suitable references and full employment histories not available

• Staff unclear about residents' needs due to incomplete paperwork

A Four Seasons spokeswoman said the pandemic had "quickly created immense challenges".

"We deeply regret The Maltings has fallen below the standards the CQC requires and we expect," she said.

"We immediately put in place a comprehensive action plan to rectify all issues outlined in the report and are fully supporting the home to ensure this is delivered in full."