INSPECTORS have slammed an ‘inadequate’ care home in Warrington where people are unsafe.

Callands Care Home has been placed in special measures after being graded ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Representatives of the CQC made unannounced visits to the Callands Road site in September after receiving concerns in relation to the management of the service as well as medication and people’s nursing care needs.

As well as this overall rating, the care home was rated inadequate in three categories – safety, responsive, and well-led.

Prior to this recent rating, the service had been rated as requiring improvement for the last four inspections.

Callands Care Home provides accommodation, nursing, and personal care for up to 120 younger people and adults – some of whom live with dementia or physical disabilities.

At the time of the September inspection, 109 people were living at the home across four different units.

In terms of support, inspectors found that the environment was ‘not supportive’ of people living with dementia.

The report reads: “People were not involved in their care planning.

“Care plans were not reflective of people's needs and lacked person-centred details.

“Risks were not always assessed.

“There was only one activity coordinator available to provide support to 109 people, there was limited activities available.

“The environment was not supportive of people living with dementia there was limited signage to promote independence.”

Inspectors also found that medicines were not always safely managed or stored.

“For one person who was prescribed 'when necessary' paracetamol, we found on one occasion that the time interval between doses were given too close together.

“This placed them at unnecessary risk of side effects.

“People's medication was not always given on time.

“One person said: "The staff have on occasion been late with my medication at night by around three hours, which isn't ideal when I am in pain."

CQC representatives said that the service did not deploy enough staff to meet people’s needs and that staff were not always present on the units and did not always respond to people in a timely manner.

Responding to the damning report, a spokesperson for Callands Care Home said: “Our priority is the health and wellbeing of our Residents, and we always take all feedback from the regulator seriously.

“We are disappointed in the outcome of the latest CQC inspection, and acknowledge that we fell short of the high standards of care our residents expect and deserve.”

A spokesperson also revealed that since the inspection, progress has been made.

They added: “Since the CQC inspectors visited our home in September, we have already made progress in line with our comprehensive action plan. We have implemented additional leadership in the home, and have provided our staff with enhanced refresher training.

“With the support of the local authority and CQC, and under the guidance of our new experienced home manager, we are continuing to work hard to make and embed the changes needed at the home.

“All of us are united in our mission to ensure that our Residents receive the best possible quality of care.”

To read the full report, visit here.