A home which cares for people after leaving hospital has been forced to close after a damning inspection.

Health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited Ami Lodge in London Road, Deal, on two separate occasions in November, rating it 'inadequate' overall.

Inspectors noted that managers were not always aware of the risks, issues and challenges and patients were not adequately monitored for the risk of deterioration.

Staff did not keep consistent records of patients’ care and treatment and there was no incident reporting policy.

There were also few action plans in place with managers failing to monitor complaints for trends and themes.

In a report published on January 24, the 28-bed service, operated by Raj & Knoll Limited, was found to be inadequate for safety and leadership. It required improvement for effectiveness and responsibility but care was good.

East Kent Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT) which commissioned the service has now withdrawn its contract but the home says it has plans to re-open as a social care setting.

Deputy chief inspector of hospitals, Nigel Acheson, stated in his report: "Staff did not consistently keep appropriate records of patients’ care and treatment.

"Records were not always legible and there were gaps in the documentation.

"Safety checks provided false assurance, as they were not fully accurate or contemporaneous.

"However, staff cared for patients with compassion. Feedback from patients confirmed staff treated them well and with kindness."

In response to the report, Ami Lodge has highlighted that the inspection was carried out under new methodology - the Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) published in September 2017.

In a statement, registered manager Amita Patel said: "The change in the methodology meant that the care home was inspected on the same terms as an NHS Trust hospital location, which the provider feels did not reflect either the type of service or processes associated with a care home.

"Following the inspection the regulator stipulated that the systems in place for Ami Lodge were not those expected to be found in a “community inpatient” facility.

"Ami Lodge has always considered itself to be a Care Home with Nursing and is registered as such with the CQC.

"The provider has always prided itself on ensuring that all of it residents are cared for at the highest standards, both in terms of their care, treatment and support and in the environment that the support is provided. And this was reflected in the report on Ami Lodge which found that the standard of “Caring” was rated to be Good.

"We take seriously any shortcomings and will work tirelessly to ensure the safety of our residents and to improve their standard of care."