A Thamesmead care home has gone from outstanding to inadequate in less than a year, as inspectors take “urgent action” after serious safety concerns for its residents.

Malborough Court’s rating plummeted after the inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in April this year, which found staff were lacking in support, training and supervision.

The care home in Copperfield Road, which is home to up to 78 people, has been restricted from taking any new residents after the CQC’s damning report which was published today.

Andrea Sutcliffe, CQC’s Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, said she was disappointed that the care provider Four Seasons 2000 Limited, had allowed the quality of service to “drop so dramatically”.

She said: “We were so concerned that people living there were at risk of harm that we have taken urgent action to restrict any further admissions and to ensure that staff get the training they need as a matter of urgency.

“If the provider fails to comply - we will take further enforcement action to protect the interests of the people in their care.”

News Shopper:

Marlborough Court care home in Thamesmead has been rated inadequate.

Ms Sutcliffe stressed the importance of care homes having excellent leadership, after the previous manager and deputy at Marlborough Court both left shortly before the unannounced inspection.

She added: “Within a few months of the home losing their senior staff, more staff departed and the quality of care has deteriorated to unacceptable levels.

“This must be addressed to improve the quality of life for their residents.”

Between December last year and April 2016, a total of 23 staff members left the care home.

In the previous inspection in June 2015, the care home was rated as outstanding, but in April this year inspectors found residents were not always treated with dignity and respect.

In some cases, untrained staff were administering medicines to residents and employees were not aware of their responsibility to report abuse, the report found.

A spokesman for Marlborough Court told News Shopper: “The wellbeing of people in our care is our first consideration and so we were very disappointed and sorry that Marlborough Court had slipped from its very high standards.

“The inspection took place at a time of transition, with a new Home Manager having just taken up post and who was recruiting to build the care team after a number of staff had left.

“Since then we have been working hard implementing a comprehensive improvement plan and have made progress in carrying out the inspector’s requirements and recommendations.”