CQC takes further enforcement action at Norwich care home after Inadequate rating

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has downgraded Ailwyn Hall in Norwich from Requires Improvement to Inadequate and has begun the process of taking further regulatory action following an inspection that identified serious concerns about people’s safety and care.

Operated by Gastank Limited, Ailwyn Hall provides residential care for up to 41 older people, including people living with dementia.

The inspection, carried out in February and March, followed a serious safeguarding investigation, an increase in concerns being raised with the regulator, and a review of whether the home had made the improvements required after a previous inspection in June 2025.

During that earlier inspection, CQC identified breaches relating to people’s safety, person-centred care, staffing and leadership. The service was placed into special measures, with conditions requiring the provider to submit monthly progress updates to the regulator.

The latest inspection found that many of those concerns remained, alongside additional breaches relating to dignity, consent, safeguarding, recruitment and the statutory duty of candour.

As a result, CQC downgraded the ratings for Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led from Requires Improvement to Inadequate, while Safe remained Inadequate.

The regulator has now begun the process of taking further enforcement action. This action remains subject to the provider’s right of appeal.

Inspectors found that the service had failed to adequately protect people from abuse and identified concerns around the continued use of agency staff who were the subject of safeguarding investigations. The report states that some agency workers continued to be booked for shifts while investigations by CQC and the police were ongoing.

The inspection also found that agency staff were not always appropriately inducted, their qualifications were not consistently checked, and they did not always have sufficient knowledge of the people they were supporting. In one case, inspectors found an agency worker providing one-to-one care for a person living with dementia despite not knowing the person’s name or care needs.

CQC acknowledged that a new management team had recently taken over the service, but inspectors concluded that leadership remained disorganised following the safeguarding investigation. They also found that care records were inaccurate, incomplete or contradictory, making it more difficult for staff to provide safe, personalised care.

The report identified a number of additional concerns, including:

• People waiting extended periods for support with personal care and meals due to insufficient staffing.
• Repeated falls and unexplained bruising not being adequately investigated to reduce future risks.
• Environmental hazards including trip risks, fire safety concerns and hazardous items being left accessible.
• Failures to complete appropriate mental capacity assessments, with one person found to have been unlawfully restrained using bed rails.
• Limited opportunities for meaningful activities, with some residents telling inspectors they were bored and had little choice in how they spent their day.
• Poor communication between staff, including missed information during handovers.
• A workplace culture where some staff remained reluctant to raise concerns because they feared negative consequences.

CQC said it will continue to closely monitor the service while enforcement action progresses to ensure people living at the home are protected.

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