POOR staffing, low morale, and lack of teamwork were three weaknesses identified in a Colchester care home inspection.

Great Horkesley Manor, which looks after 73 people in Nayland Road, Horkesley Heath, was visited by inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in July, where officials evaluated whether the service was safe, effective and well-led.

According to the official report published this week, Great Horkesley Manor fell short in all three departments following the unannounced inspection in the summer.

Key to the care home’s shortcomings, inspectors said, was a lack of permanent staff and major changes in the management team which eroded its leadership.

It resulted in a lack of cohesion amongst staff, with one paragraph of the report stating that the central heating was running on the same day a level 3 heat health watch alert was announced by NHS England, when temperatures rose to 32C.

Though a surprise inspection, it came after the CQC was told about low staff numbers, high numbers of unwitnessed falls, unexplained bruising, poor leadership and management of the service, which prompted them to examine the care home.

Although there were some major shortcomings identified at Great Horkesley Manor, CQC inspectors found finer details were being neglected too.

For example, officials found that when residents moved rooms, their names on the doors had not been changed – a particular issue given that one of the units at the care home specialises in providing care to people living with dementia.

The report also stated that response times for call bells, which are activated by residents when they require assistance, were sometimes as long as 40 minutes.

Immediately after the inspection, CQC inspectors said the care home manager employed extra agency staff to carry out a deep clean around the home, yellow bins had been purchased for clinical waste, closed toilet brushes and toilet roll dispensers had been ordered and additional training was being arranged for staff around use of PPE.

In response to the CQC report, a spokesman for Great Horkesley Manor said: "We are disappointed with this report which does not reflect the high quality of care we aim to deliver.

"A new registered manager has been appointed since the inspection who is overseeing the implementation of a robust action plan.

"The shortage of staff across the sector has been well documented.

"We are working with the CQC and are confident that sustainable improvements will be made."