A Suffolk care home has been found to be inadequate by the Care Quality Commission and has been placed in special measures.

The Swallows Residential Care Home provides personal care and accommodation for older people in Haverhill.

Following an inspection in January, the care home’s overall rating has dropped from requires improvement to inadequate.

Well-led and safe have also dropped from requires improvement to inadequate. Effective has dropped from good to inadequate.

Responsive and caring weren’t inspected during this visit and remain rated good.

The service is now in special measures which means it will be kept under review by CQC and re-inspected to check sufficient improvements have been made.

Hazel Roberts, CQC deputy director of operations in the east of England, said: “When we inspected The Swallows Residential Care Home it was extremely disappointing to see actions we had previously told the provider to make not being put into effect.

“When we return, if we aren’t assured people are receiving the care they deserve, we will not hesitate to take further action to ensure they do.”  

Inspectors found:

Staff didn’t have clear guidance on how to support people's needs.

Care plans didn’t always provide clear information.

The food management in the kitchen wasn’t always hygienic.

Fire safety checks weren’t routinely completed; records showed the fire alarm system weekly checks hadn’t taken place since September 2022. 

The culture at the care home didn’t always respect people's privacy, confidentiality and dignity. 

The home is owned and managed by Donna Burrows. She issued a statement saying: "Obviously the rating that has evidently been determined  by CQC is disappointing.

"But in the two months since the inspection Mrs Burrows and the staff have worked very hard together as a team, assisted by the home's professional advisors, to address all the valid issues raised and swiftly restore the service to full compliance with the regulations.

"Mrs Burrows continues to receive positive feedback from the residents about their experience of living at The Swallows and she is confident that the home is performing well and providing a valuable service to the local community."