THE service provided by Wormley-based Surrey Heights residential care home for people with dementia was rated “unsafe” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in December.

Following an unannounced visit in August, inspectors reported not all staff understood how to protect the 26 residents from the risk of abuse, the standard of cleanliness and hygiene was poor, and medicine administration was not well managed.

Safety is one of five categories of service rated by CQC. The inspection found Surrey Heights “required improvement” in the other four areas to check if the service provided was also effective, caring, responsive and well-led. At its previous inspection in January 2014, no concerns were identified.

Inspectors reported residents were put at risk because the service was not being maintained to an acceptable standard of cleanliness.

The report stated: “We found areas around the home were dirty and there was no one responsible for the cleanliness of the service as the cleaner was of duty. The toilet located next to the library had dried faeces under the seat and on top and the floor was stained with urine. We found people’s chairs and furniture were stained with food debris. The communal lounge had food and crumbs on the floor that had not been vacuumed.”

Inspectors found a resident who was being nursed in bed and was at risk of developing pressure ulcers. The patient was not being turned every two hours as stipulated even though the nursing chart had been filled in at lunchtime on the day of the visit stating the resident had been turned twice that morning.

One of the reasons why the service was rated requiring improvement for caring, was because inspectors found residents sitting in the main lounge had their walking frames removed and stored in an adjoining room. Walking frames were also removed from residents in the dining room.

The inspectors added: “We saw on two occasions two people tried to get up and move from their chair and were told to sit down by staff until they had time to fetch their walking frame, which did not happen. This was not dignified care as people did not have a choice or freedom to be independent.”

The report noted Surrey Heights had been without a registered manager since December 2014, and was managed on a day-to-day basis by a manager who had submitted an application to CQC to become registered.

Inspectors found the manager often worked in excess of 12-hour shifts, six days a week, to ensure management cover was provided, and worked well with other health care professionals.

Six health care professionals spoken to “had positive comments to make and were pleased with the service provided.

But they found residents’ needs were not being met, because there were not enough qualified and skilled staff.

A Surrey Heights spokesman said: “The well-being of our residents is our absolute priority. We were very pleased with the positive feedback shared with the inspectors by relatives and other professionals involved.

“We were disappointed that, although the inspectors were offered access to the quality surveys our relatives and stakeholders complete and return, they chose not to view these.

“However, health care, which is outlined in the report, demonstrates the outcomes for our residents is very good.

“There was also very positive feedback in relation to the manager who had already commenced her registration with CQC. From the time of the inspection we have recruited a further senior carer and have carried out redecorating and refurbishments as well as allocating increased senior management support in order to assist and support her in meeting the requirements of the CQC inspection.”