A CARE home has been put in special measures after being branded inadequate by quality watchdogs.

Newlands Hall in High Street, Heckmondwike will now be kept under review by the Care Quality Commission to check it improves.

A team of CQC inspectors visited in June to see if it had improved since a previous visit in February last year.

But during that visit to the home which has accommodation for up to 30 people, some of who live with dementia, inspectors found Newlands Hall was still

breaching regulations when it came to people’s safe care and treatment, staff, consent to care and keeping records.

Despite people telling inspectors they felt safe, the CQC report said aspects of the service were not safe.

There was no evidence that all staff had attended a fire drill or whether checks were made to make sure the fire alarm would be activated if a fire alarm point was pressed.

Neither did the registered manager check that fire doors closed effectively or that escape ways were accessible.

Inspectors also found care records did not have enough information about helping people with their mobility.

“We observed two occasions where staff attempted to use poor moving and handling practices with people,” said the report.

When inspectors checked people’s medicines they found staff had not consulted with a pharmacist to make sure it was safe to give one resident crushed tablets and that not all relevant staff had received medicines training.

When it came to recruiting and training, one staff member did not have a reference from their most recent employment.

Interview records were not always completed in full as part of the recruiting process.

The home was also not compliant with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

However, the report did say: “Everyone we spoke with told us they were happy with the care provided at Newlands Hall.

“We saw staff encouraging people to make choices about their daily lives, for example, what to eat and drink.

“We also saw people were encouraged to be independent where possible, for example, using eating aids to enable them to eat without staff assistance.

“Staff were able to tell us how they maintained people’s dignity and privacy.”

A spokesman for Newlands Hall said the majority of gaps identified by the inspectors were sorted out straight away and the home was working closely with the CQC as well as getting support from its compliance officer.

He said there had also been a number of positives highlighted by the inspectors.