Anchor House, a care home on Avenue Road in Doncaster, has been placed in special measures after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated it inadequate following an inspection in September.
The home, which provides accommodation for up to 23 people, was downgraded from its previous rating of requiring improvement. The CQC identified multiple failings in leadership, staffing levels, building maintenance and care standards.
Key concerns raised by inspectors
Victoria Marsden from the CQC said the home's leaders "failed to ensure there were enough staff on duty to meet people's needs". The under-staffing led to staff being "very task-focused" and not always interacting with residents "in a kind and caring way".
Relatives reported that residents' clothes were often not ironed or went missing. Slippers and footwear provided by families had never been used because staff did not have time to support people properly.
The CQC also found that the outside area was cluttered with waste materials, making it unsuitable for residents who wanted to spend time outside. Some residents, including those living with dementia, were "exposed to avoidable harm" as a result of these conditions.
Inspectors raised additional concerns that staff "didn't ensure people's medicines were managed and administered safely".
The building itself "wasn't always safely maintained", according to the CQC assessment.
What happens next
The home has been told to make rapid improvements or risk closure. The CQC's full report on Anchor House will be published in the coming days.
The operator of Anchor House declined to comment when approached about the report's findings.