A residential home has been rated inadequate by the care watchdog.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out an unannounced visit to Gorselands, in Hunstanton, in May. It said it found that it was not safe.

'There were not always enough staff to make sure people were safe,' the inspectors' report said. 'Medicines management had improved but poor stocktaking procedures and poor quality audits meant we could not be sure people always received the correct medicines.

'Risks were not all well managed and there were significant risks relating to fire, hot water and people leaving the service without staff being aware.'

Gorselands, on Sandringham Road, has 18 residents, some of whom are living with dementia. The report said staff were patient and treated people with respect, but the service 'was not always caring'.

It added: 'Staff were not clear about all the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and deprivation of liberty safeguards. Some people were being unlawfully deprived of their liberty as correct procedures were not in place.'

While the report rated leadership as 'inadequate', it said a new manager 'had begun to address some of the concerns facing the service and drive improvement'.

The report said the manager and the provider understood that the service needed to make 'significant improvements'

'The overall rating for this service is inadequate and the service is in special measures,' the report says. 'Services in special measures will be kept under review and, if we have not taken immediate action to propose to cancel the provider's registration of the service, will be inspected again within six months.

'If not enough improvement is made within this timeframe so that there is still a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures to begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service.'

Proprietor Radha Siva said: 'We find the rating unfair. And I am in the process of asking for rating review.

'However it should be understood that this is the new way of taking social care to its next level or future friendly. So we are open to that.

'We have very happy residents and we are a good home. But it is fair to say we are slow in keeping up with the changes. But that does not make us inadequate in any standard.'