King's Lynn care home pleased with pandemic CQC inspection report as new Covid-19 strain causes concern

An inspection report has been published after concerns were raised relating to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the management of risks at a Lynn care home during the pandemic.

Amberley Hall Care Home have welcomed the findings in the Care Quality Commission (CQC) report, which was published in December, and believe they are well-equipped to deal with the current Covid situation.

The unannounced inspection took place in November and the report says inspectors were assured the provider was ensuring infection outbreaks were effectively prevented or managed.

Inspectors were also satisfied with the shielding and social distancing rules, hygiene practices and the use of PPE at the time of the inspection.

The report states: "The provider's leadership team and the service manager had reviewed the impact on the service from the initial wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"They used the lessons learned from this to implement changes so that the service was very well prepared and striving hard to reduce the risk of another outbreak."

CQC inspectors found two new posts of infection control specialist nurses had been created for extra capacity and to support the service manager.

And staff sought to reduce anxiety amongst residents and worked to provide regular testing, the report says.

Vaccinations have now started at the Baldock Drive site, and the home declined to comment on claims this week that there has been an outbreak of Covid among residents.

A spokeswoman for the care home said: “As we enter the third national lockdown, the new, more transmissible, strain of the infection is obviously of nationwide concern and the home is following all government guidelines and reporting as required.

“A full and comprehensive testing programme is embedded and the vaccination process for the residents, and team, in the home is underway. We are not able to comment on specific Covid-19 cases within the home.”

Regarding the CQC inspection report, she added: "Amberley Hall had a focused inspection in November as part of a CQC national programme, for homes that had experienced cases of Covid-19 at the beginning of the pandemic. The feedback from the inspection was extremely positive."

The home was inspected but not rated, so its overall rating remains 'requires improvement'.