A Oldham care home has been told to improve after its latest inspection.

After a visit by regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Longwood Lodge Care Home has been criticised for administering medicines in a way that meant they might not work properly, and told it had breached a regulation regarding safe care and treatment.

The Queens Road home was inspected in October, with 37 people living at the home, which can accommodate up to 40 older people.

It was previously rated as "good" at its last full inspection in 2018.

This time around, the CQC only examined whether the service was "safe" and "well-led" in a focused unannounced inspection and was ordered to improve in both areas.

While staff were said to be recruited safely and staffing levels were efficient, some concerns regarding medicines given with food, stock levels and storage were identified.

Additionally, records regarding topical creams and drink thickeners were identified as in need of improvement.

On safety, inspectors said medicines were not always given at the correct time – with medicines meant to be taken before food mixed with those that were meant to be taken with food or after food, meaning the medicines might not work properly.

Stock records were also found to be inaccurate – despite the home having stock of a thickening agent prescribed to a resident to be added to drinks to stop choking, there was no record of it being in stock, meaning people were at risk of not receiving their medicine.

Furthermore, medicines were found to be stored warmer than the maximum safe storage temperature, as well as one cream which was stored at room temperature but should have been in the fridge, meaning it may not have been effective – though the care home told the CQC this had since been rectified.

The home was found to have carried out risk assessments for a range of factors including Covid, falls, choking, and use of stairs with control measures in place to mitigate issues.

Its effectiveness, responsiveness and whether it is "caring" still scores "good".

Leadership told to improve

Leadership of the home was also told to improve, with leaders told they "did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care" and that they had breached regulations concerning good governance.

Inspectors said leadership had not put in appropriate systems to ensure effective oversight of medication, and that audits did not identify concerns and act upon them in a timely fashion.

Inspectors noted that the home worked in partnership with others, having recently had a visit from the mayor, and people at the home had their pictures taken with Latics players.

Director regrets ‘documentation issue’

Director of Longwood Lodge, Andrew Wood, disputed some of the inspector’s claims on safety.

He said: “It was a documentation issue they identified on medication, there weren’t any residents that were unsafe, it was just purely a documentation error which was rectified whilst they were on site.

“All the actions that they’ve requested have already been done, we’re looking forward to our next inspection and returning to having all good again.

“It’s the first time we’ve had this rating under our ownership, we’re rated 10 out of 10 from Carehome.co.uk, we won their top 20 in North West England award in 2021, it’s just a documentation issue which is annoying and frustrating.”