A WHISTLEBLOWER at a care home that has been placed into special measures says that water had to be boiled in kettles to give residents baths and some carers regularly turned up to work hungover.

Ian Cotterill worked as a cleaner at Thelwall Grange Nursing Home between July 2014 and May 2015 and sparked an inspection by the Care Quality Commission after raising concerns over the home.

The Weaste Lane care home was placed in to special measures following the inspection, which found 10 breaches of the Health and Social Care Act.

A report said that sinks in a sluice room were stained with faeces, residents were at risk of weight loss, some had long unclean fingernails, one had just two baths in four weeks and radiators with no covers were found to be at a temperature of 67c whilst dementia patients were sat next to them.

Ian, aged 24, said that water had to be boiled in kettles in order to give residents baths, a collapsed ceiling in a laundry room led to sewage pouring through the roof and some carers would come in to work hungover.

The Latchford resident said: “It wasn’t suitable for a nursing home – it was horrific.

“I reported the home once while I was working there – it was inspected and it came out with an outstanding which I disagreed with because it wasn’t outstanding.

“We never had hot water in the whole time I was there – we couldn’t do our jobs properly, carers would have to boil water in a kettle to give residents a bath.

“It just got worse and worse and worse – they kept saying it would get better and the water would come on and then go off again after a few days.

“The ceiling in the laundry room fell in and there was sewage pouring through the roof, this wasn’t fixed when I left.

“Baths would fill up with sewage – the smell was horrendous.

“There were some good carers but others would come in hungover.”

In a statement given last week when the Care Quality Commission report was released, the home said that it was addressing issues raised in the report and is awaiting results of a reinspection.

Ian hoped that these improvements would be made for the sake of the residents.

He added: “I just hope they do sort it out – apparently there have been improvements.

“People are paying hundreds to stay there – some of them fought in wars and they don’t have any hot water for baths.

“One of my closest friends has someone in the home, I tried to tell them but they wouldn’t listen – they’ve contacted their relative since and they’ve said they will move home.

“Finally people will believe how terrible it was.

“It isn’t the carers fault – they’re only doing what they can do, the facilities aren’t right.

“Those people deserve better.”