Gainsborough care home placed in special measures

The Drovers Call home in Gainsborough will be monitored by the Care Quality Commission

A Lincolnshire care home has been placed in special measures after an inspection rated it "inadequate".

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the standard of care at the Drovers Call home in Gainsborough was "unsafe, undignified, and totally unacceptable".

Inspectors raised concerns about the overuse of physical restraints and medication to manage behaviour and a lack of cleaning.

The BBC has contacted the owners of the home for a response.

In its report the CQC said: "We found restrictive practices were used for people limiting their freedoms. For example, a person was regularly restrained by two staff whilst a third staff member completed personal care. "Restraint was not subject to care planning to show it was a necessary and proportionate measure."

The report added: "We found chemical restraint (use of medicines to manage distress behaviours) had been used disproportionately, this again was not subject to care planning or appropriate authorisations."

Other issues raised included insufficient staff numbers and a high use of agency workers "significantly increasing the risk of inconsistent care".

In addition, inspectors said "several areas of the environment were unclean which posed a risk of infection".

"Equipment in the kitchenettes was unfit for purpose, temperatures to ensure safe storage of food had not been completed, we also found thermometers not working in fridges.

"We found bodily fluids in lounges and corridors. These communal areas were frequently used by most people living in the home and mainly accommodated people who were unable to ensure their own safety."

The home has 56 residents, the CQC said

Drovers Call provides accommodation for older people, including people living with dementia, and has 56 residents.

Amanda Lyndon from the CQC said: "The standard of care people were receiving at Drovers Call was unsafe, undignified, and totally unacceptable. People living at this home deserve better care and treatment.

"Following our inspection, we reported our findings to the provider so they know where we expect to see rapid improvement.

"If sufficient progress is not made, we will not hesitate to take further action to ensure people's safety and well-being."