Care firm rated outstanding is downgraded to inadequate after staff climbed out of windows to smoke while clients were in distress

Dedicated Care East Anglia, a King's Lynn provider serving adults with physical and learning disabilities, was rated outstanding until the Care Quality Commission downgraded it to inadequate and placed it in special measures following an inspection that exposed a string of serious failings. The CQC concluded the provider had breached five legal regulations covering person-centred care, consent, safeguarding, safe treatment and good management. Management had not ensured staff were adequately trained or qualified, and failed to investigate incidents, meaning the same mistakes were repeated.

In one case, a staff member climbed out of a window to smoke while the client they were responsible for was 'visually distressed'.

Leaders had reportedly been told they were logging too many incidents — and their response was to log fewer, leaving serious concerns off the record.