A CARE home for up to 60 vulnerable people criticised for a litany of failings over the past four years has again been ordered to make urgent improvements.

Government watchdog the Care Quality Commission said the Abbey Care Village, in Scorton, near Richmond, had been graded inadequate after inspectors visited the home in February to see if action had been taken to deal with failings found during an unannounced visit in July last year.

Inspectors found while the care provided by Abbey Care, which includes a service for dementia patients, was good and a manager had only recently started in post, both the safety and responsiveness of the service were inadequate and its effectiveness and management needed improvement.

The report states further enforcement action has been launched due to accidents and incidents not being properly analysed and sketchy risk assessments not being reviewed, which had a direct impact on residents' health and wellbeing.

It has also launched further enforcement action after finding medicines not being managed safely and records had not being completed correctly.

Inspectors stated: "People did not receive their medicines at the times they needed them and in a safe way."

In July last year, the watchdog had found people’s nutritional needs were not being met, staff were unclear about their roles and lacked training and the leadership of the home was poor.

After finding medication not being safely managed in March last year, inspectors ordered Abbey Care to take action and in August 2013 found a night shift when no suitably registered nurse had been on duty.

An inspection in January 2013 found no hot water in some areas and staff had cut up old towels to wash people with, as the disposable wipes at the home had not been made available for staff to use.

In August 2012, inspectors found residents were not being given adequate nutrition and staff not acting in line with legal requirements for residents who did not have the capacity to consent, five months after finding major concerns over its management of medicines.

In March 2011, inspectors had demanded improvements in areas ranging from staffing levels to the safety of residents' personal records.

An Abbey Care spokesman said a new management structure had been introduced at the home since the latest inspection and the home was working alongside the watchdog and local authorities to revamp practises at the home.

He said: "We are working hard to make sustained improvements."