A NURSING home has been criticised by national health inspectors for a lack of safeguards in place for residents described as babies by care staff.

The White Lodge, in Braydon, run by Barchester Healthcare Homes, was found to meet just one of the six standards assessed by the Care Quality Commiss-ion. The report showed concerns over users’ care and welfare, respect from staff, safeguards from abuse, medicine management and monitoring of service.

In assessing the respect offered to services users, of which there were 77 on the day of the inspection, the CQC said: “We spoke to 12 care staff about supporting people with dementia.

“One care worker told us, ‘they are like babies now, we just make them comfortable.’ “Another said: ‘I don’t really know how to give people with dementia choice.’ This meant that people were not always treated with respect.”

Another inspector said: “We observed another person, who was in a shirt and underwear, sat in a lounge. The lower half of their body was exposed.

“We saw two members of staff speak to the person but not offer support to put on clothing. This meant some people did not receive care that respected their privacy and dignity.”

The inspection was unannounced, but scheduled.

The White Lodge is registered to provide accommodation for up to 80 older people who require nursing and personal care, Inspectors said: “We found people who used the service were being put at risk because care was not being provided in line with their care plans.

“People were not protected from the risk of abuse because the provider had not taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.

“People were not always cared for safely because they were not protected against the risks associated with medicines.

“The arrangements in place in relation to the management, storage and recording of medicines were not always followed.

“Following our inspection we asked the provider to refer two people to the Local Authority Safeguarding Team.”

A spokesman for the care home said: “Since the inspection we have been working closely with the relevant authorities and have made numerous improvements, which have been monitored by the management support team.

“We submitted an action plan to the CQC which outlined the steps being taken to ensure improvements in our services continue to be made and sustained and embedded into the culture of the home.

“We would like to reassure everyone of our commitment to provide the highest quality of care at White Lodge Care Home and to emphasise that their health and wellbeing is at the forefront of everything we do.”

Barchester has been asked to submit a report to the CQC before December 16, setting out its remedial actions.