'Unclean' King's Lynn care home rated inadequate

Some residents had "unclean nails and teeth" and areas of the home had a "malodour", inspectors said

Vulnerable people were at risk of harm and infection at a care home with " visibly unclean" areas, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found.

Amberley Hall Care Home in King's Lynn in Norfolk has been rated inadequate following an inspection prompted by safety concerns being reported.

Some residents also had "unclean nails and teeth" and areas of the home had a "malodour", inspectors said.

Athena Care Homes, which runs the site, said an action plan was in place.

The CQC said it made multiple safeguarding reports to the local authority during its inspection of the home which offers nursing and residential care for up to 106 people.

Inspectors noted the hygiene and cleanliness issues all raised the risk of infection.

Dementia patients were at risk of unsupervised access to potentially dangerous items including razors, inspectors found.

Concerns were also raised that people were not always being supported in the least restrictive way and mental capacity assessments were not always detailed to ensure care respected human rights and maximised their control over their own lives.

Gates and doors out of the building and garden did not close securely, posing a risk to the safety of people, especially those with dementia, the CQC said.

Prior to the inspection there had been four such incidents reported to the CQC.

Gill Hodgson-Reilly, CQC deputy director of operations in the east of England, said: "This is meant to be people's home and they deserve the same good quality of life that many of us take for granted."

Inspectors also found:

• Staff did not always respond promptly to call bells or alerts

• When things went wrong, leaders did not always take prompt or effective action

• People were not always supported by staff to change their position to protect from pressure ulcers

'Disappointed'

The inspection focused on two areas, safety and leadership, both of which were downgraded from good to inadequate.

It did not look at how effective, caring and responsive the service was so these remain rated good.

An Athena Care Homes spokesman said they were "disappointed" with the report but it had been treated as "valuable lessons by the team at our home and the wider Athena Care Homes group".

An action plan to address concerns is in place, they added.