Inspectors have raised concerns over a Kesgrave care home which was described as “not always safe” following a health watchdog visit.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors paid an unannounced visit to Oakwood House Residential and Nursing Home in Stollery Close on November 8 and 10, where it was rated ‘requires improvement’ in all areas.

The home, run by De Vere Care, cares for 24 people aged 65 and upwards, specialising in those with dementia, mental health conditions, sensory impairments and physical disabilities.

Inspectors examined all areas of the home’s work, and identified issues in its safety, effectiveness and the state of the building’s maintenance as part of the visit.

Among the health and safety issues were out of date fire safety checks, no evidence that dangerous defects raised in 2012 had been repaired, failure to provide electrical hard wiring check documents, and a boiler that had failed a safety check.

The report said that “infection control standards were not sufficient to protect people from infection” and added that there was food in the fridges that “could be a possible source of food poisoning”.

One of the care home residents told inspectors: “One of the [people] here walks about in [their] underwear.

“People are always coming into my room… it’s not good living here.”

Another added: “I don’t feel my life is threatened but I do feel I could be physically hurt [by other people living here].”

Other issues highlighted by the report were that some patients didn’t have individual needs or privacy respected and that not all staff members were trained to sufficiently keep patients safe.

However, inspectors did note that there were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs, and that consent of care and medication distribution were all met.

The home has now been given a series of criteria for improvement, which includes instigating action sooner on areas of concern, making sure all health and safety checks were completed, improving infection control measures and making sure people’s dignity and privacy was respected at all times.

A spokesman from De Vere Care was approached for comment, but did not respond at time of going to press.