Care home pledges improvement after report

A care home, criticised for putting elderly residents "at risk of harm", is making "significant improvements", its owners have said.

A Care Quality Commission (CQC) report rated Blackwater Mill Residential Home near Newport on the Isle of Wight as inadequate and placed it in special measures.

Inspectors found trip and burn hazards in the home as well as poor management of medicines during site visits in March and April.

In a statement, owners Buckland Care said it acknowledged the findings and had already resolved many of the issues.

The CQC report, published on Friday, described "unprofessional and hurtful behaviour" from staff and said residents "appeared unkempt".

Inspectors said staff "didn’t support people to engage in meaningful activities" and one person was found to have had little or no social interaction in almost three weeks.

The commission says it has taken regulatory action to ensure the safety of residents, some of whom suffer from dementia.

Buckland Care's statement said: "We want to reassure our residents, their families, and the wider community that most issues raised in the report from the inspection which took place over six months ago have already been resolved.

"We have been receiving increasingly positive feedback from healthcare professionals as we continue to focus on raising our standards further.

"We are working closely with the Isle of Wight Council to ensure that all necessary improvements are made swiftly and effectively," the statement continued.

"Our priority remains the health, safety, and well-being of our residents, and we are dedicated to reaching the highest standards of care."

It said a new manager would be helping "continue to make significant improvements and restore confidence in our services".

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