Admiral House in Lennard Road, Folkestone

by Sam Lennon

slennon@thekmgroup.co.uk

A report has revealed a shocking catalogue of failings at a Folkestone care home.

One resident at Admiral House, in Lennard Road, was bathed once in three weeks, while another was left to fall over repeatedly.

Some were left to wet their beds and there was a stench of urine on two floors.

Admiral House has been given a formal warning to improve at once following the unannounced inspection by the Care Quality Commission, which revealed the home had failed in five out of six key requirements.

A CQC spokesman said: “The home was failing to take adequate steps to protect people from the risk of receiving care that was inappropriate or unsafe.”

A formal warning was given, but the ultimate sanctions can be criminal proceedings and revoking the home’s licence.

The area of failure, which provoked the enforcement action, was in providing safe and appropriate care that met users’ needs.

It said there was no proper help for those with incontinence problems, placing sufferers at risk of discomfort, skin irritation and skin breakdown.

The report said: “We saw that people remained seated in the lounge from our arrival in the morning until early evening.

“There was no evidence that people had been assisted to the toilet as indicated in their care plans.”

It added: “One person, with particularly personal hygiene needs, had received one bath in a three-week period.

“Staff said at peak times they felt there were not enough staff to ‘care properly’ for people and said that some people did not have baths as often as they should because the staff did not have the time.”

One person had fallen four times in four weeks and their care plan said they were at risk of falling and needed two staff to assist them to the toilet.

But the report said: “Each accident record showed the person fell unwitnessed in their room.

“Another person had fallen three times and most recently twice in five days. Their care plan identified a history of falls.

“The doctor had been notified on each occasion after a fall but action had not been taken to review the assessed risk or dependency levels of these people.”