A nursing home has been downgraded after inspectors found that residents were not given their medication and their dietary needs were not being met.

Swansea Terrace Nursing Home in Watery Lane, Ashton On Ribble, provided accommodation and personal care, including nursing care, for 36 people in the home at the time of the inspection.

The Care Quality Commission inspection, which was unannounced, took place on July 19 where inspectors downgraded the home from its last ‘good’ rating to ‘requires improvement’ after discovering issues with safety, effectiveness, and leadership.

The other two key areas looking at whether the service caring and responsive remain as good.

The report, published on September 14, noted that some residents had not received their medicines as prescribed and staff had also run out of medicines, which raised concerns that people were at risk of not receiving their medicines properly.

The report added that diabetes care was also inconsistent. It states: “Care plans to support people with diabetes lacked sufficient detail and were not person centred.

"One person's insulin regime was incorrect. The provider began to respond to this during the inspection to develop effective diabetic care plans.

“Information to guide staff when to give medicines prescribed 'when required' including pain relief, inhalers and sprays for angina, were not in place.

“Monitoring of medicines by managers had not identified staff were not following the provider's medicine policies or the issues we found during the inspection.”

The inspectors also found that staff ‘did not have enough time to offer drinks’ often enough so people were at risk of dehydration. Nine people were also referred to the dietician after they were identified as nutritionally at risk.

The report also went on to note that there were no options on the menu for people with specific dietary needs, including vegetarian and vegan.

It states: “One person living in the home said they did not believe they got enough protein. Another person said they hardly ever had fresh fruit. We raised this with the provider who are reviewing menus with involvement from people living in the home.”

Inspectors found that residents cared for in bed were not always supported fully as staff told the CQC they, again, didn’t have enough time.

The report said: “One person living in the home told us they don't bother getting up and going downstairs because it takes too long to get help to go back to their room."

One relative told the inspectors: “I don't feel she is particularly safe. On more than one occasion they don't leave the call bell in reach and she has no way of getting help."

We Care Group, which runs Swansea Terrace, said it is ‘disappointed’ by the rating.

Bernie Suresparan, chief executive at We Care Group, said: “We would like to reassure residents, their families and the local community that an action plan has been put together to make the necessary improvements identified in the report, made systems more robust and reviewed and updated training for all staff.

“We have already rectified a number of the issues identified in the report and are confident that the home will soon be back to the good standard we expect with our homes.”