Inspectors say Walton-on-the-Naze care home must improve or be closed

Brenalwood Care Home in Walton-on-the-Naze has been placed in special mesaures

A care home has been warned by inspectors it could be closed if it does not make significant improvements.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) put Brenalwood Care Home, in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, in special measures after it was rated "inadequate".

In June, inspectors found it unclean and unhygienic, and staff referred to people as "wanderers" and "feeders".

Regal Care, which runs the home, said it had "rectified all issues identified in the CQC inspection".

The service cares for people over 65, including some who are living with dementia, and was previously rated "good" after an inspection in 2019.

But the CQC said it sent in inspectors after concerns were raised about "staffing levels, the standard of the premises, infection control and the management of the service".

Inspectors found there were a high number of unwitnessed falls resulting in injuries, an increase in unexplained injuries and bruising, as well as "regular altercations between those living at the home".

'Improvements needed urgently'

The CQC said dried faeces were found in several areas, including on the headboard of someone's bed.

According to the report, the care home was "heavily reliant on temporary agency staff, who did not always turn up".

"People were not treated with respect or compassion and staff were dismissive of people's requests for assistance," the CQC said.

Louise Broddle, CQC head of adult social care inspection, said: "The service has breached a number of regulations and we've been clear about the improvements that need to be urgently made.

"We've placed the service in special measures and requested an action plan, which we will check is being carried out.

"We will continue to monitor the service closely and will not hesitate to take further action if we are not assured it is making the necessary improvements to keep people safe."

The CQC said unless improvements were made it could impose restrictions on the home's registration or prevent the service from operating.

In a statement Regal Care said it had a "comprehensive service improvement plan in place" which it was sharing with the CQC on a weekly basis.

It said a planned refurbishment of the home had begun and it was "confident that all areas of concern raised were actioned immediately and a significant progress has been made against each action on our improvement plan".