A nursing home where ‘people were not afforded privacy and dignity in their lives’ has been put in special measures by a health watchdog.

Orchard Manor Care Home in Upton was rated inadequate overall after an unannounced inspection by the Care Quality Commission late last year.

Now a report into inspectors’ findings has been released which reveals that medicine was not managed safely, residents’ freedom to move around the Acres Lane home had been ‘unlawfully controlled’ and evidence of ‘unsafe practice’ by way of staff lifting residents in a way which could cause injury was observed.

The service – which looks after people living with dementia and those in need of personal or nursing care – was deemed inadequate in relation to four out of five questions regarding how safe, effective, responsive and well-led it is.

To the question ‘Is the service caring?’, inspectors determined that it requires improvement.

Medicine management and administration was just one area criticised, with the example of four people who were not given the right dose of medication on some days.

The author of the report stated that it was reported and confirmed prior to the inspection that ‘people’s freedom in the home had been unlawfully controlled’ in that bedroom doors were locked when people were either inside or outside of the rooms.

Staff claimed that the doors were locked to stop people going in or out of each other’s rooms and to ‘keep people safe’.

Bedroom doors were left open, meaning residents who were partially dressed or in their nightwear were in view of passersby in the hallways, which led inspectors to declare that ‘people were not afforded privacy and dignity in their lives’.

The report says: “This may lead to people feeling vulnerable or uncomfortable within their own home.

“Staff told us that the doors being left open were the person’s choice or that it was to enable the staff to monitor them.

“Records showed that this was not recorded as the person’s choice.”

One resident walked down a corridor in soiled nightwear past four members of staff who all ‘ignored’ them.

However, inspectors found Orchard Manor was clean and that there are enough staff working there.

While the recording of information on care plans was found to not always reflect people’s wishes, they did contain vital details about people’s wishes with regard to end of life care.

By virtue of its inadequate rating, Orchard Manor is in special measures and will be inspected again within six months.

Bosses at Orchard Manor Care Home in Upton have revealed the changes they have made since Care Quality Commission rated them inadequate following an inspection in November 2016.

While the unannounced inspection was conducted four months ago, the report into the findings was only published last week.

Staff at Orchard Manor insist that the safety of its residents is a top priority and that it has worked closely with the Care Quality Commission and Cheshire West and Chester Council to implement a detailed action plan in light of inspectors' observations and recommendations.

Improvements made include appointing a new and experienced home manager, completing a review of residents’ care plans, putting a ‘robust quality assurance system’ in place, and working with external experts to update their food, medicine and fire safety processes.

The use of agency staff has also been cut in favour of recruiting permanent carers ‘so that residents are supported by carers they know and trust’, and management says all staff have completed a refreshed training programme.

A spokesman for the home told The Chronicle: “The safety, wellbeing and health of the people we care for is our absolute focus at all times.

“We are confident these actions are already making a very positive difference. In our most recent relatives’ feedback survey we achieved a 96% satisfaction score.

“We will continue to work extremely hard to make sure we’re providing the high-quality care residents expect and deserve, and that we pride ourselves on delivering at our sister homes.”