A NURSING home has been placed into special measures after a whistle blower tipped off inspectors about poor standards of care.

Thelwall Grange Nursing Home has been rated as inadequate by the Care Quality Commission after it was found to have committed 10 breaches of the Health and Social Care Act.

Inspectors visited the Weaste Lane home on three occasions following a tip off, most recently on September 12, and found scores of failings in every area.

They found that sinks in a sluice room were stained with faeces, residents were at risk of weight loss with one losing 8lbs in under two weeks, some residents’ fingernails were long and unclean and one had only had two baths in four weeks.

Radiators with no covers were found to be at an excessively hot temperature of 67 degrees celsius while two dementia patients were sat next to them and running water was found to be too hot with no warning signs causing a risk of scalding.

Bedsheets and pillows needed replacing and on the first two visits, clean clothes and linen were not always available as there were no designated laundry staff, although a person had been employed in this area by the third CQC visit.

One resident who was at a high risk of falls was subjected to an unauthorised deprivation of their liberty when they were locked alone in an area that had several hazards – including unprotected heated surfaces and large windows extending below the knee that were not fitted with safety glass or bars.

Bedrooms were dirty and had bad odours with staining on furniture and flooring, a heavy window which ‘could have easily trapped fingers’ was propped open by a book.

On one occasion a resident with dementia was observed trying to get of their chair unaided and spilling their drink – the person monitoring them walked past the person and out of the room without offering assistance.

A woman who had had two falls in previous months was rated as a low risk with no change in their care plan and the relatives of one resident raised concerns over dental hygiene.

The safety, effectiveness, responsiveness and leadership at the home, which can cater for up to 43 elderly residents but presently houses 27, was found to be inadequate, while the care provided requires improvement.

The Care Quality Commission report said: “The service will be kept under review and if needed could be escalated to urgent enforcement action.

“Where necessary, another inspection will be conducted within a further six months and if there is not enough improvement we will move to close the service by adopting our proposal to vary the provider’s registration to remove this location or cancel the provider’s registration.”

The home says that is addressing issues raised in the report and is awaiting results of a resinspection.

A spokesperson from Thelwall Grange Nursing Home said: “We are working very closely with Warrington Borough Council and the Care Quality Commission.

“Our improvement plans is will in progress and changes are being put in place and we have been reinspected with the results due to be published.

“Families and relatives have been fully engaged during the process.”