ELDERLY bedridden patients were left without drinks for more than 15 hours, a CQC report has revealed.

The damning report found that the Audlem Country Nursing Home, The Old Grammar School, which houses dementia patients, 'requires improvement' in key areas including safety, effectiveness, caring and responsive and was judged 'inadequate' in leadership.

The two-storey home, which provides accommodation and nursing care for people with dementia and or mental health needs, has no lift and the only way to reach the first floor is to use the steps.

At the time of the CQC inspection, there were 41 people living there. Inspectors found four breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Where risk assessments were in place they were not always followed, therefore the risks to people had not been minimised.

Not everyone at the home had a care plan and staff were not always clear, from verbal instructions, whether they were meeting the needs of people living there.

Inspectors found that although there were sufficient staff, they were not always suitably competent, skilled and experienced to meet the needs of residents. Training had been requested but not always provided, and what training there was, did not provide them with the skills and knowledge to do their jobs effectively.

Call bells were being answered promptly, but it was noted by inspectors that at 10,30am, a number of people being nursed in bed had not been offered drinks, some since 7pm, the previous evening.

An inspector said: "We questioned why people had not received anything prior to this time and we were told that the staff completing the night shift had not assisted anyone out of bed that day, therefore they were behind their normal schedule."

The inspection also noted there was a high level of incidents involving staff and people living in the home where staff members had suffered injuries when residents had used aggression towards them. Staff said they didn't feel they had the right skills to manage this.

Failure to provide the training was a breach of the act

The inspection also found some bed bound patients had dirty fingernails, unkempt hair and poor standards of oral hygiene with little evidence their toothbrushes were being used. A pressure mattress to help one patient had the wrong setting, which was a further breach. 

The Crewe and Nantwich Guardian is awaiting a response from the nursing home.