A CARE home has been ordered to improve after a watchdog said it did not properly protect residents with dementia from hard.

Old Gates Care Home in Blackburn has been criticised in a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report following an unannounced inspection.

The CQC said rated safety at the centre, which is based in Livesey Branch Road, as 'inadequate' and ‘requires improvement’ for being responsive and well led.

However it was praised for for being effective and caring.

A CQC inspector said: “The service was not safe.

“Staff were not appropriately deployed on the unit for people living with a dementia.

“This meant people on this unit were not properly protected from harm.

“In the case of people on the unit for people living with a dementia, risk management plans did not provide any guidance for staff about how to deal with behaviour which might challenge others.

“Systems to ensure the safe handling of medicines were not sufficiently robust.

“Recruitment processes needed to be improved to protect people from the risk of unsuitable staff.”

Old Gates is run by Bupa Care Service which said that since the inspection it has made a number of improvements.

The unannounced inspection took place on February 15 and 16.

Old Gates Care Home provides accommodation in three units, for up to 90 people who need either nursing or personal care and support.

Inspectors also identified five breaches of the Health and Social Care Act during the visit.

A CQC inspector said: “Staff were not appropriately deployed on Rowan unit to ensure people visiting or living and working in the unit were properly protected."

Angela Zuraw, regional director for Lancashire at Bupa Care Services, said: “We’ve made a number of improvements at Old Gates since the CQC inspected two months ago.

“We’ve recruited more carers and registered mental health nurses to support our residents with dementia.

“We have also reviewed our care plans and training to make sure we offer our residents high quality care around the clock.”