A care home for vulnerable people has been ranked as inadequate after breaching multiple legal regulations.
Sterling House in Thorpe Road has breached seven legal regulations, a new report published by the Care Quality Commission on December 19 reveals.
The report states “the service did not provide care in an environment which was safe” and was ranked inadequate across all criteria.
The care home is run by White & Sterling Residential Care Ltd, who, according to the assessment, have not been “effectively monitoring” risks such as dehydration, malnutrition and choking.
AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT:
At the time of the assessment, 15 people, most of whom have dementia, were living at Sterling House.
People live there within self-contained flats, which consist of a bedroom, kitchenette/lounge area and bathroom.
There is also a communal lounge, dining area and garden.
The report found that some people had access to items which could cause them harm within both communal and private spaces.
The management team had failed to complete effective audits and quality assurance processes to ensure the care provided was safe, effective and responsive to people’s needs.
STAFFING ISSUES:
Due to a lack of staff, several people were seen sitting alone or facing a wall while eating dinner.
CQC identified a “lack of meaningful activities” provided for people to engage them.
One relative told CQC that “the home needs more staff, they are run off their feet”.
Another person's relative said they “have concerns at night” when asked about staffing numbers.
The home is being placed in special measures and has been given a time-frame to improve the quality of the care provided.
Ben James Smith, director of White & Sterling Residential Care Ltd, said: "A new and experienced registered manager, Diana Boros, has been appointed.
"Diana has a strong track record of improving care services in Norfolk, and her focus has been on strengthening clinical oversight, staff supervision, care planning, and quality assurance processes.
"This has been supported by additional senior management input to ensure that improvements are embedded quickly and sustainably."
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