Lowestoft care home placed into special measures after 'inadequate' rating
Stradbroke Court will now have to make major improvements
A Lowestoft care home has been placed into special measures after being rated 'inadequate' by regulator the Care Quality Commission.
Stradbroke Court has room for 43 residents and is currently home to 34 people. The service was rated 'good' during a previous inspection.
The CQC returned for a fresh inspection earlier this year, finding that risk to residents like falls, diabetes and choking were 'not always robustly assessed and mitigated'.
It also found problems with a lack of skilled staff, with a high number of falls being recorded which were not seen by staff members.
It was found that the local council had received a high number of safeguarding referrals in relation to the home.
There were gaps in training for things like first aid and falls awareness, as well as in mental health.
Areas of the building were found to be showing their age, with peeling paint and worn carpets proving to be an obstacle to cleaning.
Further issues were raised with levels of hygiene, as inspectors found PPE was being stored close to toilets, possibly creating a risk of cross contamination.
More work was also needed to keep residents records up to date, especially in the recording of when they'd last seen a healthcare professional.
CQC inspectors found medicines were managed safely, with suitable checks in place.
Managers at Stradbroke Court have already pledged to make improvements, with more training being booked for staff.
The CQC wrote: 'the provider was responsive to the inspection findings, they told us they were willing to learn, improve and share the actions they would take to address the issues found at this inspection.'
Inspectors will now work with managers over the coming months to ensure improvements are made.
We've approached APS Care Ltd, the company which runs Stradbroke Court, for a full statement.