Rat infested kitchen closed

When Rother District Council officers visited the Firs Residential Care Home in Old Forewood Lane, Crowhurst, last week, they discovered the animals in the kitchen, along with rat droppings and urine.

Rother issued an emergency hygiene prohibition notice, supported by magistrates, and the kitchen was closed immediately.

The order says that the kitchen must remain closed until an environmental health officer allows it to re-open.

An officer from Rother made a follow-up visit to The Firs this week, but found the kitchen was still not up to scratch.

A notice has been served under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, requiring rat treatments to be carried out, waste to be removed and the building proofed.

Miyano Care Services Ltd, which owns The Firs, has arranged for food to be provided by an external catering company until the kitchen is deemed fit to reopen.

Rother has informed the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the East Sussex County Council Vulnerable Adults Unit about the closure.

Rother District Council head of environmental health, Richard Parker-Harding, said:  “Food hygiene inspections can be carried out at any time.

“It is crucial to maintain hygiene standards to the highest levels in order to protect the health of our residents, so we run strict checks on these establishments.

“If anyone requires advice on matters of food hygiene they should contact the team on 01424 787000 or visit our website at www.rother.gov.uk.”

Eighteen months ago The Firs was praised by the CQC for its hygiene following an unannounced inspection.

The report from June 2009 rated the home as ‘good’ and said The Firs was “clean and fresh” with “a good standard of cleanliness throughout.”