Woodhall Spa 'inadequate' care home put in special measures

The CQC downgraded the care home in Woodhall Spa from an overall rating of "requires improvement" to "inadequate" following a recent inspection

A Lincolnshire care home rated as "inadequate" by a watchdog has been placed in special measures.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors found Westerley Residential Care Home for the Elderly had "dirty and unhygienic" en-suite bathrooms.

The home in Woodhall Spa, East Lindsey, also had some "unsafe" areas where "people could be harmed", the CQC said.

In a statement, the care home said it was "committed to rectifying all highlighted issues promptly".

The site, which is run by The Leaders of Worship and Preachers Homes, provides accommodation and care for up to 30 people.

Placing the home in special measures meant it would be kept "under close review to make sure people are safe", the CQC said.

Following the inspection in August and September, the CQC's findings included:

• Documentation did not always include accurate information about risks to residents

• Kitchen cleaning records had not been completed consistently

• Medicines were not managed safely, in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance

• Records showed under half of staff had completed safeguarding training

• Residents, relatives and staff agreed there were not enough staff to meet people's needs

The inspection did find evidence that staff worked well with community agencies, with community professionals reporting most workers at the home as "friendly and approachable".

'Unpleasant odours'

Greg Rielly, CQC deputy director of operations in the Midlands, said: "Several people living at the home, visitors and staff raised concerns about the cleanliness of the home environment.

"There were unpleasant odours in some areas of the home, and we found bedrooms that needed cleaning and en-suites that were dirty and unhygienic."

Inspectors found several hot water outlets were not temperature controlled, meaning a risk of scalding, with insufficient action taken to ensure there was no risk of legionella in water systems.

Mr Rielly added: "If improvements are not made by the time we next inspect, we will not hesitate to take further enforcement action."

In response to the report, the home said it was "dedicated to providing exceptional care".

"We take this evaluation seriously and are committed to rectifying all highlighted issues promptly," a spokesperson said."The safety and wellbeing of our residents are our utmost priority - we acknowledge and agree with the concerns outlined in the recent CQC inspection report and are taking proactive measures to address each identified area comprehensively."