‘RAPID improvements’ are required by a care home deemed ‘dirty’ and ‘unsafe’ by a care watchdog.

Winsford Grange Care Home has been rated ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The inspection, carried out in July, was prompted in part due to concerns the CQC received around people’s safety and personal care.

Previously rated as ‘requires improvement’, the home’s overall rating has been dropped to ‘inadequate’ and it has now been placed in special measures, meaning it will be kept under close review by the CQC.

Park Homes UK, which runs Winsford Grange, acknowledged the concerns raised in the report and said it was 'fully dedicated to resolving the issues promptly'.

Karen Knapton, CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said: “When we inspected Winsford Grange Care Home, we were concerned to find people were at risk because not all staff had been trained well enough to follow safeguarding processes to keep people safe.

“Staff also told us they were concerned about low staffing levels and were worried about their ability to keep people safe and provide effective care.”

She added: “We’ve told Winsford Grange Care Home where we expect to see rapid improvements and are using our regulatory powers further to protect people.

“We will continue to monitor the home closely during this time.”

At the time of the inspection, 48 people were living at Winsford Grange.

The home’s ratings for being safe, responsive and caring have all dropped from ‘good’ to ‘inadequate’ with the CQC’s report describing the home as ‘dirty’ and ‘unsafe’.

Inspectors found the service didn’t work effectively in partnership with other services.

For example, staff made decisions about people's dietary needs without referrals to a speech and language therapist, putting people at risk of having diets which could cause them to choke on their food.  

Inspectors also felt that people’s individual needs and choices were not considered, care was not planned collaboratively and that consent to care was not sought appropriately. 

Additionally, there were insufficient quantities of medicines available to meet people’s needs, resulting in several people being left without their prescribed medication, impacting their health and wellbeing.

Ms Knapton added: “Staff weren’t always caring for people with dignity and respect, telling us they didn’t always have time to give residents a shower or a bath or help with other personal support needs.

“Some people with complex needs didn’t get the support they required and were sometimes excluded from activities as the service didn’t have the number of staff required to support them safely.

“The home wasn’t clean, as there weren’t enough domestic staff to carry out these duties or make sure people had clean clothes. We also saw ripped chairs and damaged furniture which were infection control risks.”

A Park Homes UK spokesman said: "Park Homes UK takes the recent rating issued by CQC very seriously.

"We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of compliance and ensuring the safety, security, and wellbeing of our residents.

"We acknowledge the concerns raised by the regulator, and we are fully dedicated to addressing these issues promptly and comprehensively.

"The rating provided by CQC highlights areas where our service may have fallen short of the regulatory requirements and our own high standards.

"We deeply regret any impact this may have on our stakeholders and assure you that have taken immediate actions to improve and resolve these matters.

"To address the issues identified, we have implemented a comprehensive plan that includes a thorough internal review of compliance procedures and processes at the home and have put in extra resources to support us to quickly resolve all highlighted concerns at Winsford Grange.

"We want to reassure everyone we are fully dedicated to resolving these issues promptly and effectively to ensure the best possible outcomes and quality of life for our residents."