Care home staff revealed their fears about the service deteriorating telling inspectors it is "not always a good place to work".

They claim the service at Rogers House in Wigmore, Gillingham is the worst they have known as it was plunged into special measures.

The facility in Drewery Drive, which was last rated 'good' five years ago, has now been put into special measures and rated 'inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Bosses at Rapport Housing and Care, which runs the home, say they are confident progress is being made to make improvements.

In a report published on December 16 following a visit in July, inspectors said they had received concerns about staffing and wound care.

During the visit, they spoke with people who did give positive feedback about the service but staff told them "things had deteriorated".

The report stated: "Staff told us: 'It is horrible. This is the worst I have never known it. You get days where you think you do not want to come in'."

They were also told there was not enough staff and they found it challenging to be supported by so many agency workers who did not know people's needs.

"The entire social care sector is currently under extreme pressure..."

The report also raised issues over poor medicine management and risk assessments, lack of staff training and insufficient care records.

Inspectors stated residents in wheelchairs should not be left unsupported but were on a number of times and there was a high volume of unwitnessed falls.

They also saw two occasions where people were asking for help to go to the toilet but were waiting for a long time – one was left for more than 30 minutes.

Unexplained bruising was also not investigated by the registered manager or reported to the local authority and CQC despite being raised by staff members.

Despite this, people told inspectors "they were happy" at the home and the food was good.

Rooms were "personalised and well maintained" and residents were supported to regularly access healthcare professionals like nurses, GP and falls team.

The report added: "We found that the registered manager had been open and honest, and understood their responsibility to comply with the duty of candour."

The CQC will re-inspect the home in six months.

Rapport Housing and Care chief executive Leon Steer said: "We have been working with the CQC and our consultants on the improvements we need to make within our homes and are confident we are making progress.

"Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent staffing crisis within the care sector, all of our homes held ‘good’ ratings, and we are working hard to restore these.

"The entire social care sector is currently under extreme pressure.

"We are amidst the greatest workforce crisis in history and staff shortages are cited as a key problem in 75% of CQC reports of care homes which have received a lower rating.

"In addition to that, a poll by the South East Social Care Alliance found that almost half of care providers in the region are thinking of exiting the sector because of underfunding for local authority/NHS funded residents.

"Urgent reform is needed if the sector is to remain sustainable."

In an assessment of the state of health and social care in England by the CQC in October, it concluded the system is unable to operate effectively.

Chief executive of the CQC, Ian Trenholm said: "The fact is that it is hard for health and care staff to deliver good care in a gridlocked system.

"There are no quick fixes, but there are steps to be taken now on planning, investment and workforce that will help to avoid continuing deterioration in people’s access to and experience of care.

"By working together to address the issues that lie behind the gridlock, we can create conditions that mean that next year, more people can access good, safe health and social care – delivered by a better supported workforce who have more reason to be optimistic about the future."

Rogers House is the third facility owned by Rapport Housing and Care to be rated as 'inadequate' this year.

Edward Moore House in Gravesend and Dene Holm in Northfleet were also given the same low rating by the CQC.

Both are expected to be closed by mid-January alongside Connors House in Canterbury due to staffing problems and rising energy costs.

Bosses also blamed a "chronic underfunding from the government".