ROOMS left unclean, call bells removed and people 'at risk of avoidable harm' - these were among the findings following the inspection of a care home in Reading.
Lifecare Corporation Ltd, in Cressingham Road, was inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in January, which rated the service - for a second time - as 'inadequate'.
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In a report published this month, inspectors noted that people at the home 'were not protected from the risk of infection' after a number of issues were identified.
It was found that waste was not stored correctly, and in one case a kitchenette was 'stained with urine'.
The report highlighted that even though this area was not inhabited at the time, it was open and accessible.
In the five areas observed during the inspection, three of these: safety, effectiveness and leadership -were deemed 'inadequate', while categories of care and responsiveness were found to 'require improvement'.
Call bells had been removed or cut from all en-suite bathrooms, communal bathrooms and communal rooms, meaning there was no system in place to respond to people needing help, putting them at risk.
Inspectors also noted concerns relating to staff's understanding of good nutrition and hydration, with one section of the report saying: "One person's record indicated the fluid offered over the course of ten days was well below acceptable amounts."
Inspectors stated in the report that one person had epilepsy, but that no medical care plan existed to manage and mitigate risk of harm should the person have a seizure.
The care home will remain in 'special measures', meaning the service will be kept under review and re-inspected within six months to check for significant improvements.
In areas where the care home was praised, the report mentioned that staff were described as always being polite, and that concerns were correctly reported to relevant agencies.
It also stated that sufficient staff were deployed to keep people safe from harm.
An inspection from October 2019 found the service to be inadequate, leading it to be placed in special measures.
Inspectors found that 'not enough improvement' had been made, leaving the facility in breach of regulations.
To view the full inspection report, click here.
Life Care Corporation Limited has been contacted for a comment.
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