Blackpool care home put residents at risk, watchdog finds

Inspectors visiting Ambassador Care Home found various risks to residents

A dementia care home mismanaged medicines and put residents "at risk of avoidable harm", a watchdog found.

Ambassador Care Home in Blackpool was rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after an inspection in October found the serious failings.

Residents missed doses of medicine because staff failed to administer them and stocks were not replenished, the watchdog's report said.

DM Care Limited, which runs the home, has been asked to comment.

The provider has since applied to deregister with the CQC, the report said.

Fire risk

Inspectors found several fire doors did not close and some equipment was unsafe in the residential care home, which houses 24 people.

They said they had asked an agency staff member how they would deal with a fire alarm and they replied: "I'd run around like a headless chicken because I don't know anything."

Hygiene was also found to be an issue, with urine marks and other stains on bedding and "faeces dried on the side of a toilet".

The inspectors did note how residents reported they were happy at the home and liked the staff.

They also found staff were kind to people and spoke in a caring way.

However, background checks had not been completed robustly and residents' dignity was not always maintained, the report concluded.