A NURSING home is placing residents at “extreme or high” risk, say care inspectors.

The report into Lifestyle (Abbey Care) Limited Archery – Bower, found residents were being denied access to the toilet or shower, another was confined to bed in the isolation wing and failed to provide medication for a terminally-ill person.

The home, in Scorton in Richmondshire, has been rated “inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), after uncovering a catalogue of failings.

A report following an inspection in October and November last year painted a damning picture of life in the two units at the Abbey Care Village which offer specialist dementia care and general nursing support for residents.

The watchdog rated it inadequate when it came to safety, effectiveness, responsiveness and leadership.

The Abbey Care Village website claims it to be “one of the country’s leading care facilities, offering an outstanding service” adding it offers the people of North Yorkshire with “luxury accommodation, independence, dignity and choice”.

But the damming CQC report found “multiple breaches” of regulations of the Health and Social Care Act, relating to:

• Person-centre care, dignity and respect

• Need for consent

• Safe care and treatment

• Safeguarding from abuse and improper treatment

• Meeting nutritional and hydration needs

• Receiving and acting upon complaints

• Good governance

• Staffing and fit and proper people employed.

The report observed: “But more seriously, there was a significant risk being posed to service-user’s life, health and wellbeing.

“We found the impact of seriousness to people who used the service was risk rated as extreme or high.”

But the service had not had a registered manager – with legal responsibility for meeting the care legislation - since January 2014. Instead a nominated individual was acting as the manager.

It found care plans and instructions from healthcare professionals outside the home were not being followed and medicine practices were unsafe.

The report stated staff failed to respect residents’ privacy and dignity, by telling them to soil their continence aids, rather than taking them to the toilet and people were not bathed regularly.

One woman told an inspector: "They don't have time to support me, if I want to go to the toilet, I have been told we don't have time, go in your pad. I don't like that."

Another person told the CQC: "I asked for a shower one morning and was told I couldn't have one as they don't have time and the night staff will do it, the night staff didn't do it and I didn't even get a wash as they were so rushed, this is the norm.

“I don't feel my needs are being met, due to my illness I am doubly incontinent and often wear the same pad from 9am to 8pm."

Another resident was found living in isolation in a wing of the home. The report stated:

“There were no staff working in that part of the home. Staff visited the wing at meal times to give the person their food. This meant during other parts of the day there was no supervision and the person lived in isolation. We found staff had not considered the isolation people may experience when they were confined to bed and were the sole occupant of a wing.”

It found care plans and instructions from healthcare professionals outside the home were not following and medicine practices were unsafe.

In one case, the home failed to provide palliative care or medication for a terminally-ill resident.

The report stated: “We asked to see the end of life care plan. The training manager was busy trying to put a plan together but said there was not one at that time. We asked what plans were in place for the end of life, the training manager said, "I know they [the person who place them at the service] said they are on end of life but I am not sure, they are very upbeat.

“We found that none of the staff were aware this person was receiving palliative care and the palliative care medication was not being used. Staff informed us that this person was fine and not nearing the end of their life. This person died before we came back for the second inspection day.”

The care watchdog found staff levels were insufficient and recruitment checks on staff were not carried out prior to them being hired. In addition there was no recorded information on which agency staff member had been on duty when, or even what their names were.

One nurse working at the home had been suspended from practice by the Nursing and Midwifery Council on November 16 last year.

When The Northern Echo contacted the home, they said the home's manager had only been in post for the "last couple of months" and referred us to the owners of Lifestyle (Abbey Care), but there was no response from the company.