A CARE home which “compromised people’s dignity” and put its residents at risk of harm has been put into special measures.

The Oaks care home, in St Mary’s Road, Great Bentley, received a visit from CQC inspectors in February and has now been rated as inadequate in two areas and requiring improvement in a third.

The facility, which at the time of the inspection was caring for 21 residents including some living with dementia, had received a good rating just two years ago after previously being told it required improvement.

Detailing its findings in a report, the Care Quality Commission said a lack of training “needed to meet the needs of people using the service… could have serious consequences for to their health and put them at risk of avoidable harm”.

Gazette: Inadequate - The CQC published its findingsInadequate - The CQC published its findings (Image: Google)

Commenting on the safety of the care home, inspectors pointed out “the premises were unclean and unhygienic, with a build-up of dirt and stains on the skirting, flooring and walls”.

The cleanliness of bathrooms was also criticised, with the regulator finding “organic matter” under bath chairs and commodes and on toilet brushes.

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There had been a recent outbreak of Covid-19 in the care home, but despite this, cleaning schedules hadn’t been enhanced to minimise risks to residents and staff, although the manager did arrange a deep clean of the premises immediately after the inspection.

One staff member told the inspectors “There are not really enough staff”, while a relative of a resident pointed out: “The staff let you in and out, then you don’t see them much."

Despite the issues, the staff were found to treat people kindly, with nice interactions observed between them and the residents and they were found to understand the need to promote dignity and privacy.

Users of the service also had been involved in discussing their choice of activities and had been consulted on changes to the layout of the lounges and asked their opinion on colour schemes.

Following the inspection, the service will remain under review and another inspection will take place within six months to check for significant improvements. If improvements are not made, the consequences could include the cancellation of the care home’s registration.

The care home has been approached for comment.