A HAMPSHIRE home which cares for people with severe learning disabilities has been found to be in breach of various health and social care requirements.

Kilmory, in Beech Hill, Headley Down, was visited by inspectors from the Care Quality Commission in November last year, and a report published on March 31, said: “The service was not safe as permanent staff had left since our previous inspection and the service had six staff vacancies.”

Inspectors had previously visited the home, run by Voyage 1 Limited, in June last year, and found the provider was not meeting the requirements of the law.

It was asked to make improvements by August.

Inspectors found during their visit in November that not all of these required improvements had been made, and judged all areas as “inadequate”.

The CQC found:

  • There were insufficient numbers of experienced staff
  • Staff were working excessive hours
  • Checks had not been fully completed for all staff to ensure they were suitable to work with vulnerable people, which put people at risk
  • Medicines were not always requested, obtained or stored safely
  • Bathrooms did not meet the needs of all those with physical disabilities
  • People did not always receive the care needed in relation to personal hygiene
  • The provider failed to act upon a report on the safety of a life in October 2013 and a person had experienced an accident using the lift
  • People had received adequate support to ensure their nutritional needs were met.

At the time of the inspection four people were living at Kilmory.

Inspectors found one person who required one-to-one support was left alone.

The report said: “They started to display signs of agitation and the manager had to respond to defuse the situation as the other staff were busy.”

In a separate incident inspectors observed a person placed in a wheelchair at 10.24am and left there until noon.

The report said: “During this time he became more vocal, showing distress. Staff provided no explanation and little reassurance.”

Inspectors also found people were “placed at risk as the staff caring for them had worked excessive hours.”

The interim manager told inspectors they were “exhausted” having been on the roster for 12 days in a row, while another member of staff said they had been asked to work 14 hour shifts.

Voyage 1 Limited did not respond with a comment.