Piggy Lane, Bicester care home safety criticised in report

Staffing levels at a care home in Oxfordshire could affect patient safety, an inspection has found.

The Piggy Lane unit for adults with learning and physical disabilities in Bicester was also criticised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for its assessment of patients.

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust said it "deeply regretted" the findings of the report.

The trust has until 11 March to detail how it will act on the recommendations.

Inspectors ruled there was not proper monitoring of the care patients received at the unit which provides accommodation for 10 people.

'Constantly stretched'

A routine inspection in early January by the Care Quality Commission also criticised "long standing staffing problems" as well as medication procedures.

While the report found "episodes of good, personalised care and warm interactions by the care staff", it also said workers claimed they were constantly stretched.

"We noted that there were insufficient processes in place for the safety of the people who lived there," the report stated.

A Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust statement said the report's findings were "unacceptable".

"We deeply regret that the quality of our social care service was not of the high standard our service users and their families should expect. We accept all of the report's findings and have taken immediate action to address the problems highlighted by the CQC," it added.