An Ellesmere Port care home requires improvement, according to the Care Quality Commission watchdog.

The overall conclusion was reached at Aaron Court Care Home on Princes Road.

Inspectors found that the effectiveness of the home is good as is its ability to be responsive, but its safety, caring and management require improvement.

The home is registered to provide accommodation for up to 73 people who need nursing or personal care offering support to older people and people living with dementia. At the time of the unannounced two-day inspection visit, there were 65 people at Aaron Court.

In 2015 the home was also found to require improvement but action was taken to deal with issues which had been identified and five months later it was said to be ’good’.

The commission says that at the most recent inspection there were breaches of the regulations on which Aaron Court was told to take action.

The home was described as ‘not always well-led’ as arrangements had failed to identify areas that required improvement. But during the inspection where inspectors highlighted issues the manager took immediate action.

Pressure relieving mattresses were not always on the correct setting which placed people at risk of harm.

A bathroom tap dispensed water at 50 degrees C which was above the maximum limit placing people at risk of scalding.

This had been identified as an issue, with signage warning the water was hot, but appropriate action had not been taken.

A majority of staff treated people with dignity and respect but there were occasions where they did not speak to people in a dignified way. Residents said most staff were kind and caring but they also commented that one or two could be ‘sharp’ at times.

Some positive relationships had been developed between residents and staff with occasions where they laughed and chatted together. Staff also acted to relieve people’s distress, offering reassurance where residents experienced episodes of anxiety.

Their family members told the inspectors they were made to feel welcome when they visited and a majority of staff were kind.

Residents said they felt safe at Aaron Court, with their comments including ‘I feel very safe here’.

The surroundings were clean, safe and well maintained and there were plans to refurbish the home to ensure it was made suitable for people living with dementia and people with a sensory impairment.

Residents were protected from abuse with staff receiving training in safeguarding vulnerable adults. They were aware of the different kinds of abuse that could occur and how to report any concerns they may have.

The inspectors saw one-to-one chats and group activities taking place, including a game and a sing-a-long which helped ensure that residents were protected from the risk of social isolation. Residents commented they felt staff were skilled and able to meet their needs.

The inspectors called for a report by Aaron Court on measures to be taken where regulations were not being met.

They said residents’ safety was not being maintained and action was not always taken to deal with aspects that may impact upon their wellbeing.

A spokesman for Aaron Court told The Chronicle that an action plan has been implemented since the inspection.

He said: “We take feedback from the CQC extremely seriously. Immediately after the inspection in February we put in place a detailed action plan to address the areas raised, including the recruitment of additional senior staff to further strengthen the team.

“Our absolute priority is to ensure residents are happy, healthy and safe, and we are very grateful for the positive feedback from residents, their families and the CQC in the report.”