Weymouth Manor Care Home needs improvement, says CQC

Inspectors said some of residents had been 'placed at risk of harm' due to there not being enough staff to help them -  and that medicines ‘had not always been managed safely’.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has given Weymouth Manor Care Home in Radipole Lane a 'requires improvement' rating following an inspection last month.

It is the same care home where some staff have complained to the Echo in recent weeks that they have not been paid. This issue is not covered in the report as CQC inspectors only focus on the quality and safety of care.

READ MORE: Staff claim colleagues made redundant and others not paid

READ MORE: Care home staff 'want to cry' amid wages non-payment claim

The home, which opened at the end of 2022, is run by Chanctonbury Healthcare.

Inspectors said the home requires improvement overall, as well as in its safety and how well-led it is. The service was rated as 'good' for being caring, effective and responsive.

Inspectors said ‘robust recruitment checks' were not always followed to ensure staff were of ‘good character.’ Inspectors found that one staff member's full employment history was missing.

During the visit, a person not employed by the provider, had slept in the home overnight - but no risk assessment had been completed and the person did not have a valid DBS. 

Weymouth Manor Care Home (Image: Hollie Carr) Inspectors also identified gaps in staff training, with plans from Chanctonbury to improve this.

During the assessment, the inspectors said there was enough staff for people on the residential floors, however this was not the case for the nursing floors. They said this led to a 'divide' within the home.

The report said: “People on the nursing floors had been placed at risk of harm as there were not always enough staff available to assist them when they required, and this had placed people at risk of harm such as skin deterioration.”

A person at the home told inspectors: “There are some lovely staff here. They get very tired; you can see it in their faces, they are short staffed.”

When staff were sharing their concerns with the Echo over pay in June, it was claimed that 11 members of staff were made redundant.

During the assessment, inspectors found a breach of legal regulation in relation to the safe care and treatment of people. Inspectors reviewed records which showed 'medicine errors' and that medicine ‘had not always been managed safely’. People had ‘not always received the medicines they were prescribed’.

Weymouth Manor Care Home (Image: Alfie Lumb) Inspectors reported that the environment was 'not always safe'. It highlighted that the lift was not maintained, trip hazards were found in the flooring, flushing to prevent Legionella was not completed and neither were checks to the fire and call bell systems. 

Chanctonbury Healthcare told inspectors a new person has been recruited to cover the maintenance position. Inspectors suggested the care provider reflect and complete a lesson learned document to show learning from the inspection.

This was never received and inspectors are unable to assess the effectiveness of any intended changes. 

Chanctonbury Healthcare owner Barry Sinclair was approached by the Echo for comment.