Bosses of a care home rated inadequate have been told they must make improvements or face enforcement action.

It follows an unannounced inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) last December, where inspectors found Four Seasons 2000 ltd were failing to provide care that was safe, effective or well led.

Now the care provider at the Borstal care home has been issued with three warning notices.

During the visit, inspectors found:

• There were not enough staff to meet people's needs - which sometimes left residents with a choice about whether to leave their rooms during the day
• People were not protected from abuse, with some incidents not reported to CQC
• People were not protected against the risks of inadequate nutrition and hydration
• Staff did not have the time to supervise those who could not eat independently and needed encouragement inspectors noted that many people in the home had lost weight
• There was a lack of effective and consistent support for people whose behaviour could sometimes be challenging
• And complaints were not managed effectively

Adrian Hughes, deputy chief inspector of Adult Social Care South said: "It is unacceptable that we found areas were people being cared for at Cooper Beeches were not receiving care which was safe, effective, responsive to their needs or well led.

"It is unacceptable that we found areas where people being cared for at Cooper Beeches were not receiving care which was safe, effective, responsive to their needs" - Adrian Hughes

"It is vital that providers have in place systems provide on-going monitoring of the quality of the care being provided.

"Such systems allow providers to identify the shortfalls we found and to take action to avoid deterioration in the quality of the service and negative impact on those living there.

"It was positive to see that staff at Cooper Beeches were caring and compassionate and had a kind and had a respectful attitude towards the people they supported.

"However, the shortfalls we found means that the provider has to take some immediate and urgent action to ensure that the care provided in consistent and reliable."

He said inspectors would return to Copper Beeches to check whether the required improvements had been made - and they would take further action if they had not.

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