RESIDENTS have been moved out of a failing nursing home after a third damning report by care watchdogs.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said Ladymead Nursing and Residential Home in Heaton failed all of its care standards during an unannounced inspection in July.

Bolton Council and health commissioners said they had “no option” but to terminate their contract with Ladymead and move its 16 residents to other homes.

Owners of the private care home now say they will be forced to close — claiming they have been unfairly criticised by the CQC.

The watchdog raised concerns about the care home after previous inspections in 2013 and 2014.

The latest inspection called for action to be taken on all standards relating to the care, welfare and nutritional needs of residents, the safety of the building, management of medicines and staff requirements.

The report documents residents being washed with cold water and being left to sit in the same chair all day.

The 16 residents whose care is funded by Bolton Council and Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are now in the process of being moved to other nursing homes. There are no other private residents in the home.

Debbie Westhead, CQC’s deputy chief inspector of adult social care in the North of England said: “We have identified a number of serious concerns with the quality of care being provided to the people who live at Ladymead Nursing and Residential Home and believe there is a significant risk that people’s needs are not being met.

“As a result, the Bolton Council and NHS Bolton CCG are working with the home to support residents to move into alternative placements in the local area where their welfare can be assured.

“Our priority at this time is to work with partner agencies to ensure that people living at Ladymead are safe.

“In the meantime we will continue to monitor this provider very carefully and have made it clear where improvements are required. If the situation deteriorates further we will not hesitate to take further action.”

Ladymead is described on its website as a “family-run” residential home with a capacity for 27 people.

However, it was temporarily shut in January last year after serious concerns about health and safety.

The private home was warned about the poor management of medicines at an inspection in January but, according to the latest report, it has failed to improve.

In a joint statement from Bolton Council and NHS Bolton CCG, a spokesman said: “We have been monitoring services at the home for some time and we always work with home owners and the CQC to help them improve standards where necessary.

“Council and CCG staff have made regular visits to the home and met the owner on several occasions to advise him how to be CQC compliant.

“However, the latest inspection by CQC has left us with no option but to terminate our contract with Ladymead.”

Naveed Yousaf, director of Ladymead, owned by Icon Healthcare UK Ltd, said the home had done its best to improve its standards.

Mr Yousaf, from Blackpool, said: “I do not understand how we can go from failing two standards to all 10 in three months.

“We have got the same staff, the same procedures and the same residents.

“I am not saying we are perfect. We know there is always room for improvement, but all these authorities have been very heavy handed with us.

“We always held our residents’ comfort at heart and we always had good care.”

  • Have you or a family member been affected by the issues at Ladymead? Contact The Bolton News on 01204 537270.

What the inspectors found

  • A visiting healthcare professional took a blood sample from a patient as other residents ate their meals.
  • There was not always enough hot water for patients, meaning residents were often washed with cold water and a face cloth.
  • People were not offered a choice of food and there was little staff interaction and encouragement offered. Pureed diets were not presented in an “appropriate and appealing way”.
  • Personal care required improvement with regard to oral hygiene, continence management and privacy and dignity when receiving medical treatment.
  • The administration of medicines and recording of medicines was found to be “unsafe”.
  • There were no activities provided and people sat in the same chairs all day with no stimulation or variation.
  • Staff said they were “fed up”, due to hours being cut and receiving wages on different dates each month.
  • A family member of one resident raised concerns with the CQC about oral hygiene needs. Staff told them mouth care packs were out of stock.
  • The home had two cellars, both with steep stairs leading down to them. Both cellar doors were left unlocked, posing a risk to residents.