Covid-19: Chippenham care home placed in special measures

Allied Care, which runs Ashgables House, said it will work with the CQC to improve the care home

A care home where more than 75% of its residents had Covid-19 during an inspection has been placed in special measures.

When Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors visited Ashgables House, in Chippenham, Wiltshire, 16 of 21 people living there were infected.

Inspectors said it had "not always consistently followed" outbreak policy but improvements were noted later.

Allied Care, which runs the home, said it will work with the CQC to improve.

A report said personal protective equipment was found draped over banisters, towel rails and windowsills close to people who had already tested positive for coronavirus.

The CQC said it had inspected the home after concerns were raised about the way the home was managing the virus outbreak in January.

But it will separately explore how a resident who was taken to hospital following a fall was found with "unrelated significant indicators of neglect". They have since died with the virus.

'Undignified practice'

The incident will be investigated under its "specific incident protocols," the CQC said.

Inspectors also found "undignified practice" at the home, which cares for people with a range of mental, physical health and learning disability needs.

Days before the inspection, the care home's manager from June 2020 to January resigned after staff were left "largely unsupported".

The CQC said it was "clear" that there was "disparity between senior management understanding the reality of the service" and its "clear lack of visible leadership".

The care home had previously been rated as good when the CQC last visited in October 2018 but is now inadequate.

An Allied Care spokeswoman said some staff had tested positive before the inspection, leaving it lacking staff at "very short notice".

She said that led to the home being "unable to provide the level of service we wish to provide for all our residents during this extremely challenging period".

The company said it is "disappointed" but has since appointed a new manager who will look to "ensure high standards of care for our residents at all times".