Kingsley Healthcare has made a robust response after its Downham Grange care home in Norfolk was downgraded from Requires Improvement to Inadequate following inspections in June and July.

While expressing disappointment with some of the shortcoming highlighted in the report, Kingsley Healthcare, said “we disagree with a number of points raised by the inspectors and feel that their overall Inadequate rating is unfairly harsh and does not accurately reflect the level of care we pride ourselves on delivering”.

The care home operator also highlighted the home was still rated Good in the categories of Effective, Caring and Responsive.

A spokesperson said a number of points raised in the report were “not proportionate to the issues identified”.

These included the conclusion that “health and hygiene were not prioritised” after ants were found in one of 62 bedrooms and two out of 56 residents were found with unclean nails.

In response to the findings that “areas of the home were visibly unclean”, Kingsley said issues around cleanliness had never been raised in any previous report adding there had never been an infection outbreak reported at the home.

The care home operator also challenged the findings that a resident with mental capacity that had razors and denture tablets in their washbag was at “risk of harm”.

Kingsley Healthcare acknowledged difficulties in the timely ordering of medication adding it had a robust plan in place with GPs and pharmacies to resolve the issue.

The company categorically refuted the claim the home was understaffed, adding it had reviewed and strengthened management structures and put an additional nurse in place at night-time.

Kingsley Healthcare added the claim that “people did not always receive support from suitably trained staff” was factually incorrect and was based on an incident involving one member of staff.

In addition, to claims of a lack of oversight at the home, Kingsley said an experienced home manager was in place who is going through registration and all homes were overseen by a regional operations manager.

The care provider added it had strengthened procedures to reduce the risk of residents choking or developing pressure sores but stressed that no resident had previously suffered any harm.

A spokesperson said: “We have put in place a robust action plan to address CQC concerns and are transparently reporting progress to our residents, their families and stakeholders. Furthermore, we are holding monthly meetings for residents and their families and issuing weekly newsletters. We want to reassure them that we are determined to get everything right and are encouraged by the reassuring and helpful comments conveyed to our team at the home.

“We feel the overall report and rating are harsh and disproportionate. Downham Grange is certainly not an Inadequate home and this is supported by the observations in the report that residents and their families ‘felt safe living at the service’ and that staff were responsive to people, for example if they were upset or needing reassurance.”