Home in special measures after 'abuse allegations'

Muscliff Nursing Home in Bournemouth cares for people living with dementia and learning disabilities

A nursing home has been placed in special measures after an inspection, prompted by "multiple allegations of abuse, neglect and poor practice".

Muscliff Nursing Home in Bournemouth, which cares for people living with dementia and learning disabilities, has been rated inadequate after inspectors visited in July.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said it found residents were "experiencing avoidable harm" at the home, run by AgeCare.

Muscliff will now be closely monitored to ensure people living there are safe while improvements are made.

The CQC said the home provider was in breach of four legal regulations in relation to dignity and respect, safeguarding, safe care and treatment, and good governance.

Neil Cox, the watchdog's deputy director of operations in the south, said inspectors found "serious and ongoing failings".

"Leaders didn't always follow safeguarding procedures designed to keep people safe," he said.

"Staff told us they didn't always feel listened to when raising serious concerns."

'Unacceptable'

Mr Cox said the failures contributed to a "closed culture where people living at the home couldn't always speak up for themselves and staff didn't feel safe to advocate for them either".

He said staff were not always moving and handling people in line with their assessed needs, meaning some people "experienced avoidable discomfort or distress".

"Our inspectors also saw staff didn't always meet people's needs with kindness or respect, which is unacceptable in a place people call home," he added.

The home, in Shillingstone Drive, can care for up to 41 residents. There were 33 living there at the time of the inspection.

According to the report, one visiting health and social care professional told inspectors they found "sensors were repeatedly unplugged or not working correctly" putting people at risk of falls.

Other concerns included staff not always wearing protective equipment when providing personal care.