A Tadley nursing home has been told it must improve after a watchdog found unresolved fire risks, safeguarding issues, and gaps in care planning at a service previously rated 'good'.
Inspectors have downgraded SeeAbility’s Heather House Nursing Home in Heather Drive from 'good' to 'requires improvement' after uncovering serious failings in fire safety, governance and aspects of day-to-day care.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that high-risk fire door defects identified in 2025 had still not been fixed by the January 2026 deadline, evacuation drills had not involved all staff, and problems flagged during practices had not been addressed, leaving residents at "significant risk" in the event of a fire.
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The home, which supports 14 people with learning disabilities and autism, was also flagged for weak governance, with internal audits failing to identify issues such as an unreported safeguarding incident involving an invasive procedure carried out in error, poor medicines stock control, and food safety lapses in the kitchen.
The CQC reported that care plans contained missing or conflicting information, which further compromised the safety and well-being of residents.
Despite these concerns, the home was rated 'good' for being effective, caring, and responsive, with the registered manager working to 'tighten processes' to improve safety for residents.
Relatives described the care as "life changing" and praised the staff’s skill in managing complex conditions such as epilepsy. Inspectors observed kind and compassionate care, strong joint working with health professionals, good access to meaningful activities, and generally safe staffing and training.
However, the report highlighted inconsistent practices, including a mealtime where two residents requiring full support were left waiting 20 minutes as their food went cold.
The CQC's findings indicate a breach of legal regulations related to governance.
The registered manager and provider were noted to be motivated to improve the service and began addressing these shortfalls during the inspection.
The report also noted that while the provider had a proactive culture of safety, there were gaps in the management of fire safety and safeguarding procedures.
A spokesperson for SeeAbility said: "We recognise the areas identified for improvement in the report and accept that aspects of our governance and oversight arrangements need strengthening in this home.
"We have already taken action on all of the issues raised and have a clear improvement plan in place to ensure these changes are embedded, sustained and deliver the improvements required.
"Despite requiring improvement in two areas, we were pleased to see the positive comments from families about the transformative impact of our support.
"The quotes in the report consistently demonstrate that families have faith in our ability to keep their relatives safe, happy and supported."
The spokesperson further highlighted the positive feedback from families, with one relative stating: "It’s the most incredible place".
Another relative expressed confidence in the staff's ability to manage complex conditions, saying: "To be honest, I am thankful my relative lives at Heather House."
The spokesperson concluded: "We remain committed to building on the many strengths recognised in the report while ensuring the improvements identified are fully delivered."
