A WIRRAL care home has received a damning report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after inspectors identified "multiple failings with regards to medicines and risk management".

Daleside Nursing Home on Bebington Road, Rock Ferry, was also criticised for its levels of cleanliness, lack of staff training and leadership.

In total, inspectors found "five breaches of the legal regulations in relation to consent to care, safe recruitment, dignity and respect, safe care and treatment and governance" with the CQC issuing two warning notices and giving the home an overall rating of 'Requires Improvement'. 

According to the report, inspectors visited the home on May 2 this year and found it to be caring for 29 people, including some with dementia.

They observed "the top floor was very hot and at an uncomfortable temperature to spend any length of time" and noted worn carpets, missing emergency pull chords and several bedrooms without door numbers.

The report said: "We identified staff members who had been recruited without evidence of a completed application and interview.

"Satisfactory references had not always been sought and some staff did not have a completed DBS check on file."

The home was also described as "not clean" with the report stating "one person had heavily stained curtains which needed to be taken down to be washed. The area outside of this room had dirty and stained paintwork and flooring and a stale odour. We observed the laundry area to be very cluttered."

The report also added that "medicines processes were not safe" and identified examples where people had not received medicines as prescribed.

With regards to caring, the report stated: "People were not always treated with dignity and respect in their day-to-day care and support. Some people were not receiving regular opportunities to bathe in line with their personal preferences and needs. People were not always treated as individuals.

"There was a lack of leisure activities available for people to participate in. Some family members felt this had led to a decline in peoples wellbeing as they had a lack of social stimulation."

A family member told inspectors:  “We take my relative out, the staff do not. They had a singer on a few weeks ago but other than that they don’t do anything with residents. They are just left.”

One family member had raised concerns about their relative sleeping on a urine saturated mattress while the inspectors also found in one room, which was shared by two people, that a commode was next to a bed "with no privacy screen to protect either persons' privacy or dignity when the commode was in use".

The home's leadership was also criticised with the repot stating "some family members did not feel fully listened to or that their concerns were being addressed". 

Responding to the report, a spokesperson for We Care Group, which operates Daleside Nursing Home, said: "Daleside Nursing Home, part of the We Care Group, acknowledges the findings of the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) report, published on September 4, 2024, following an inspection in May 2024.

"The report highlighted both strengths and areas for improvement, giving the home an overall rating of 'Requires Improvement'.

"The CQC acclaimed Daleside Nursing Home for being effective and responsive, awarding "Good" ratings in these categories. This reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering care that meets individual needs and ensures our residents receive timely and effective support. The home was found to perform well in meeting CQC expectations in these key areas, ensuring that residents are provided with personalized, compassionate care.

"The CQC also identified areas requiring further attention, specifically in the categories of Safe, Caring, and Well-led. While most residents reported feeling safe, Daleside Nursing Home did not meet CQC standards in these areas. The We Care Group takes these findings seriously and is committed to making the necessary improvements to restore our previous 'Good' overall rating.

"We Care Group has already implemented a robust corrective action plan, focusing on many areas including strengthening governance and leadership processes within the home to ensure that all staff are fully supported and that policies are consistently followed; Improving communication between staff, residents, and their families to ensure transparency and timely updates on care matters; increasing staffing levels to ensure that all shifts are fully covered, providing residents with the highest level of care and attention at all times.

"Daleside Nursing Home remains dedicated to providing quality care to its residents, including those requiring nursing, residential, or dementia care. We Care Group is confident that these actions will address the CQC’s concerns and further enhance the quality of life for all residents."

Bernie Suresparan, Chief Executive Officer of We Care Group, added: "At Daleside Nursing Home, the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of our residents are our top priorities.

"While we are pleased with the positive findings in the Effective and Responsive categories, we fully acknowledge the need for improvement in other areas. We have already put in place a detailed action plan and are working closely with the CQC to ensure all areas are brought back up to the high standards we strive for."