A CARE home in Stockton Heath has been taken out of special measures, but further improvements have been ordered by inspectors.

Summerville Care Home was placed into special measures after an inspection by the Care Quality Commission in June last year found that residents had been physically, verbally and financially abused by members of staff.

Now the Hill Top Road home has been taken out of special measures following a reinspection, but further improvements have been ordered.

Inspectors found that residents waited up to 19 minutes for staff to respond to call bells, while employees raised concerns over staffing levels at the 45-bed care home.

One worker told the CQC that the home was 'struggling to provide people with personal care due to staffing levels not meeting the dependency' of residents.

The CQC was concerned that some resident were not receiving enough to or drink due to not enough staff being able to assist them at meal times.

During the unannounced inspection in March, the CQC found that 'not all staff demonstrated kindness or empathy' to residents who required assistance.

Some residents told inspectors they were 'lonely', with people in the home observed 'sitting around doing nothing for long periods of time'.

Recruitment practices were 'not always robust enough', with 'thorough checks' not always completed by management.

Meanwhile, claims by the relatives of one resident that their family member had been 'rough handled' by staff were being investigated by the home.

In total, the CQC found eight breaches of health and social care regulations.

A spokesman for HC One, which runs Summerville Care Home, added: “The health and wellbeing of residents is our number one priority, and we are disappointed to have fallen short of the high standards expected of us and which we want to provide.

“We take the CQC’s feedback seriously.

“At the time of the inspection we were in the process of implementing the training and home management processes of our new owners - who had only recently taken over the home.

“This work continues and to make sure it is completed swiftly and the changes are embedded thoroughly, a dedicated project manager has been appointed to support the home’s staff team.

“Together, we are making very positive progress and are continuing to work collaboratively with our partners at the council and CQC.

“These tried and tested systems will make sure we are getting care right, and we look forward to demonstrating these improvements at our next inspection.”