Brenalwood Care Home in Essex rated inadequate as faeces found on bed and staff criticised
A care home has been told to improve or face closure after inspectors found "appalling" language was used by staff to describe patients.
In June, the Care Quality Commission found staff at Brenalwood Care Home in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, referred to elderly patients as 'wanderers', ‘feeders’ and ‘double-ups’.
"Dried faeces" were found in several locations, including on the headboard of someone's bed.
The service cares for people aged over 65, some of whom are living with dementia, but people were not treated with respect or compassion.
"A lot of shouting" was often heard between staff and the CQC said the service "lacked leadership".
The home, which was previously rated as good, has been rated inadequate and placed in special measures.
The service will be reviewed, and if improvements are not made, the CQC could restrict its registration or prevent the service from running.
During its inspection, the CQC had concerns about staffing levels, the standard of the premises, infection control and the home's management.
Louise Broddle, CQC head of adult social care inspection, said: “The premises were unclean and unhygienic, and there weren’t enough staff to safely care for people.
"There were a high number of unwitnessed falls resulting in injuries to people, which weren’t reported or investigated properly so that similar risks could be minimised in the future.
“It was appalling to hear people being referred to by staff as ‘wanderers, ‘feeders’ and ‘double-ups’.
"This language is completely unacceptable and doesn’t respect people’s dignity or make them feel like they matter."
The report detailed that elderly patients had to wait for access to the toilet or shower, and one relative told the CCQ that their loved one was not always clean.
"Unexplained injuries and bruising" had increased, but Brenalwood did not inform the local authority or CQC.
The report added that freestanding wardrobes were not secured to the walls, presenting a risk of being pulled over.
People were not treated with respect or compassion, as the staff "lacked the leadership and guidance" to provide quality care, with managers seen as "unapproachable".
The operators of the care home have been approached for comment.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know