A HEALTH and social care watchdog says Worcester care home staff need to do more to protect the safety and welfare of residents.

The Care Quality Commission has issued formal warnings to Westwood Care Home, saying it must make improvements to care standards or face further action.

But manager Tony Downer has hit back at the ‘nit-picking’ regulator.

It is the second time the care home has come under fire from the regulator this year. The commission in February said the home’s record keeping was not up to scratch.

Inspectors said photographs of residents were not on the Medical Administration Record, which meant they could receive wrong medications.

Renewed warnings follow an unannounced visit by inspectors to the care home in Bath Road, Worcester, in July, as part of a planned review of compliance.

Inspectors said improvements needed to be made in relation to the care and welfare of people who use services and the management of medicines.

Inspectors found proper steps had not been taken to ensure interim arrangements were in place when managers were absent; care plans were not an accurate record of people’s needs meaning residents were at risk of not receiving appropriate care; no arrangements were in place to ensure out-of-date medicines were disposed of correctly; and some staff were administering medicines without prior training.

Andrea Gordon, deputy director of operations (central region) for the commission, said: “These warnings send a clear message that Westwood Care Home needs to address this issue or face further consequences.”

The home provides accommodation to up to 12 people.

If improvements are not made, the commission has a range of enforcement powers which include restricting the services a provider can offer, or, in the most serious cases, suspending or cancelling a service.

Manager Tony Downer said the medication issue involved spectacle cleaner and moisturiser, which were due to be disposed of anyway.

He said he had been on holiday at the time of the inspection and the other proprietor was involved more in the ‘hands on care’ rather than keeping paperwork up-to-date.

Mr Downer said the information was there but the other proprietor was not able to lay hands on it during inspection.

He said: “It is very much nit-picking. All my care plans are totally up-to-date. The care plans are in the process of being amalgamated on to a database, which has been quite a lengthy effort in co-operation with Worcestershire County Council adult protection who have been very supportive in helping us to construct the ideal care plan.”

He also said one of the care staff had administered paracetamol while both proprietors were away but had since been enrolled on a Boots e-learning medication course.