Inspectors find dirt, grease and mold in room after room at 'inadequate' Northampton care home

In a new report, the CQC said the dirty conditions at St Michaels House, in St Michaels Avenue, off Kettering Road, posed "a direct risk of harm" to residents' health as they found mold and grime in room after room.

It comes after the home failed another inspection in April last year, where it was criticised housing its pensioners in a culture that lacked "dignity or respect".

The report, published April 20, reads: "The kitchen area within the home was dirty and poorly maintained. The worktops, skirting boards, cupboards, doors, walls, radiator, tiled areas and the ceiling had ingrained dirt and grease, and had not been sufficiently cleaned.

"We found mould around several people's basins, and serious damp and mould issues in one person's bedroom. This was a risk to people's health, including one person at a higher risk of developing respiratory infections due to a medical condition."

Staff also did nothing to stop residents smoking in their rooms and kept fire doors propped open with chairs, which both posed major fire hazards.

It is the second time St Michael's has earned an "inadequate" rating in a year, after it was upgraded to "requires improvement" in August 2017. But now it has been downgraded again and will remain in special measures.

The report reads: "Staff supported people in a positive manner and were caring in their day-to-day interactions with people. However, the overall ethos within the service required improvement in this area due to lack of action taken to make sure people felt safe, comfortable and dignified in their environment.

"This service will continue to be kept under review and, if needed, could be escalated to urgent enforcement action.

"[If necessary] we will take action to prevent the provider from operating this service."

St Michael's will be reinspected within a year.