'Dirty and unsafe' care home must rapidly improve

Aaron Court Care Home has the capacity for up to 60 residents

A "dirty" care home where inspectors found residents were being placed at risk with some not even fed a proper meal has been ordered to make "rapid" improvements.

Aaron Court Care Home in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, was inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in March and April following reports of poor care by residents and their relatives.

Inspectors said there was "widespread uncleanliness" with found bodily fluids, general waste and ingrained dirt found in several places among other concerns which resulted in the watchdog placing it in special measures.

Aaroncare Ltd, which runs the home, said it had appointed a new manager and took "immediate action" to address the issues.

The Princes Road home provides nursing and personal care for up to 60 older people.

Inspectors highlighted how people were placed at risk of harm with unsafe areas of the building, including hazardous substances, as well as trip hazards in bedrooms.

'Totally unacceptable'

They found staff did not ensure people's medications were stored or administered safely.

They also said some parts of the home were "uncomfortably cold" including in the bedrooms.

Karen Knapton, of the CQC, said the home's deterioration since the last inspection in 2022 when it was rated "good" was "disappointing".

She said: "Poor leadership and ineffective risk management had led to people receiving unsafe and inappropriate care in a place they call home."

She said several areas need urgent improvements "to keep people safe".

Ms Knapton said one of the biggest issues they saw was people being placed at risk of infection due to the uncleanliness, which was "totally unacceptable".

She also said staff had "little time to engage or support people" and meal times were "rushed and impersonal".

"On the day we visited, everyone was served egg and chips, and residents who didn't like eggs were left with just chips resulting in people being hungry and not being fed a nutritious meal," she said.

She said there were no activities available and some residents received "minimal staff interaction" with several people routinely kept in bed throughout the day and night with no recorded rationale or any indication this was their choice.

She said leaders have been told the CQC expects "rapid and continued improvements" and it will continue to monitor the home closely to keep people safe during this time.

Aaroncare Ltd said it was "deeply disappointed" with the report.

It said the new manager was "continuing to lead improvements" after the issued that were raised.

It added: "An action plan was developed and shared with the CQC and we are working hard to ensure we meet the high standards of care that our residents, their loved ones, and we expect.

"Our highest priority remains providing a safe, comfortable, and caring home for our residents."