Residents in an Epping Forest care home have been given medicines covertly by staff and used personal protective equipment (PPE) lies on the floor, a social care watchdog has said.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found an increased risk of harm at Alder House, in Chigwell, after concerns were raised over infection control, risk and culture.

It gave the home, which cares for 22 adults with physical and learning disabilities, a rating of “requires improvement” after an unannounced inspection between May 4 and 18.

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The care home says it recognises improvements were “necessary” and a “wide range of measures” have been taken since the inspection.

According to the inspection report published on June 30, the inspection took place after the local authority flagged concerns to the CQC over infection control, medicines management, risk and the culture at the home.

The report continues to say two people were having their medicines administered covertly, which is when they are given in a disguised format and without the consent of the person receiving them.

There was no risk assessment or guidance in place for staff to do this safely or whether other professionals had been consulted over whether this was in the person’s best interest, according to the report.

The CQC also found concern relating to infection control, for example used PPE was left on the floor by the outside bin. According to the report, the PPE remained on the floor even after inspectors told the manager of the home.

According to the report, the PPE remained on the floor even after inspectors told the manager of the home.

For one person there were no repositioning charts in place to mitigate the risk of poor skin integrity.

The report says the categories of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led were “good” at the previous inspection, but have since deteriorated.

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A section read: “Some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety. There was an increased risk that people could be harmed.”

The home received an “inadequate” rating in the category of well-led, with inspectors saying there were “widespread and significant shortfalls” in the leadership and the culture they created in the home.

Safeguarding incidents had not been reported to the local authority or the CQC and risks associated with people’s care were not reviewed, the report says.

Concerns were raised about the attitudes of some staff towards people, and the culture of the service did not demonstrate staff were valued.

A spokesperson for Leonard Cheshire, which runs Alder House, said: “The safety and wellbeing of residents is always our priority. We recognise improvements were necessary at Alder House. 

“Since the inspection we’ve already taken a wide range of measures to address the concerns raised, as part of a comprehensive action plan.  Highly experienced new leadership is in place, with a new team leader also in post, as ongoing improvements are delivered. Increased oversight and support are being provided by senior management and our clinical team.

“We’ve been meeting with residents, families, and the local authority throughout, as we look to ensure that Alder House always offers the best care.  Everyone at the service is working as hard as possible and fully committed to achieving this.”

The report says staff were positive about the registered manager despite shortcomings in the service.

One staff member said: “Our manager is lovely and very fair, we do have staff who care.” 

Another said: “I do feel supported and I am not afraid to speak up.”