Thetford Mencap care homes rated inadequate by CQC

The two homes in Thetford have been rated inadequate overall, but staff were praised for their compassion and kindness

Two Mencap-run care homes for adults with learning disabilities "fell way below the standards that people should expect", according to inspectors.

Foxglove and Daisy, both in Thetford, Norfolk, provide personal care and support for up to 11 people.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the homes inadequate overall and inadequate on being safe or well-led.

Mencap chief operating officer John Cowman apologised to residents and said: "Clearly, we must do better."

The inspectors found there were not always enough staff to keep people safe at either service.

People prone to choking were eating unsupervised at Daisy, while neither home had enough staff to safely manage emergency situations, particularly at night.

The lack of staff had an impact on residents' quality of life, meaning they were not always able to pursue activities within the community, the report continued.

'Not acceptable'

Inspectors found poor cleanliness affected people's standards of living, while infection risks were not well controlled.

They criticised a lack of strong leadership, which did not ensure lessons were learnt from previous incidents, and said there was poor oversight of staff competence.

However, staff were praised for treating people with compassion and kindness, and for respecting residents' privacy.

Deborah Ivanova, the CQC's director for people with a learning disability and autistic people, said care at both homes "fell way below the standards that people should expect. This is not acceptable".

Mr Cowman said: "We want to apologise to the people who live in Daisy and Foxglove and their families, and to our colleagues who work so hard to support them.

"We have let you down and are very sorry. Clearly, we must do better."

He add the homes had "already implemented many of the improvements recommended in the report".