Care home residents at risk due to poor hygiene

The home was criticised for not cleaning equipment properly

A care home left residents at risk of infection due to poor hygiene, a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection has found.

The report also described unsafe management of medicines at Westcliff Lodge in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, which was found to be in breach of safe care and treatment.

The care home has been rated inadequate, a downgrade from its previous rating of "requires improvement".

Westcliff Lodge has been contacted for comment.

Inspectors visited the home in February and found personal protective equipment (PPE) inappropriately stored next to flushing toilets.

Equipment such as continence aids had not been cleaned enough to decontaminate them after use.

The report added: "We observed that some of the equipment were visibly soiled.

"This meant that people were at risk of infection due to poor hygiene practices. We found open denture fix gels with no lids on, razors and toothbrushes left on people's washbasins uncovered."

Bedrooms and communal areas also had visible dust and cobwebs, according to Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Following the assessment, the provider informed the CQC it would be reviewing how cleaning was provided at the service.

Inspectors also found one person had received an injury that had not been fully investigated and a safeguarding concern had not been raised with the local authority.

It said another person did not appear well cared for leading to signs of neglect.

Inspectors found an out-of-date medicine still being stored with controlled drugs that should have been returned to the pharmacy or destroyed.

On the first day of the inspection they found the medicine storage area had been left unlocked with the medicine cupboard and trolley also open.

The report said: "Similar concerns had also been highlighted at a previous assessment, and it appeared that lessons had not been learnt to protect people from the risks associated with the poor management of medicines."