Home for adults with autism is rated inadequate

A residential home for people with autism and learning difficulties has been placed in special measures by inspectors.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) dropped its overall rating for Merle Boddy House in Dereham, Norfolk, from requires improvement down to inadequate.

Its report said staff lacked training, incidents of harm were not investigated appropriately and there was a "closed culture" among employees.

Mid Norfolk Mencap, which ran the home, said it had already taken steps to "immediately improve standards".

The home can cater for up to 10 people, although eight were living there at the time of the inspection on 22 and 24 October.

The CQC said the level of care varied significantly depending on each individual's needs and the level of funding they received.

"We saw people with less funding missed out on activities and community access, leading to feelings of jealousy as recorded in people's care records," said Stuart Dunn, the CQC deputy director of operations in the East of England.

Leaders "lacked oversight" of people's care and failed to make sure people were safeguarded from risks including abuse, harassment or neglect - the report added.

Incidents where people had experienced harm were not fully investigated and were not reported to the CQC and the local authority, Mr Dunn added.

"[Leaders] also allowed a closed culture to develop, in which staff didn't always feel they could speak up," added Mr Dunn.

When the CQC places a provider in special measures, it usually carries out a follow-up inspection within six months.

If it has not found improvements, inspectors can cancel the service's registration, meaning it cannot continue operating.

A spokesperson for Mid Norfolk Mencap said: "We are committed to learning from, and acting upon, the CQC report ratings and findings and to implementing important and immediate changes in our service provision.

"We have already taken immediate steps to ensure we immediately improve standards for our residents and provide outstanding care for all our people.

"This includes a restructure, improved levels of resource, providing best-practice training across the charity and specifically within Merle Boddy House."

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