Residents screaming "help me" and chairs covered in faeces in "inadequate" care homes

From furniture covered in faeces to cries for help being ignored, care homes up and down the country are failing to meet the standards expected of them.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) investigates every health care organisation on a regular basis, reporting on what is done well and what needs to improve.

But amid high staff turnovers and increasing pressure on health services, some care homes have fallen short of the mark.

At one care home in Huddersfield, Aden House, inspectors found a building in disrepair, with broken furniture and dirty bathrooms. But they also found a resident shouting "help me" who was being left to fend for themselves - with no call bell or fall sensors to be found.

The report said: "On the first day of inspection, we found a person shouting "help me" repeatedly from their room. Staff did not respond until alerted by the inspector.

"There was a discarded broken chair in a corridor and a broken cabinet in the lounge on the dementia unit. We found rusty plugholes in sinks, dirt around toilet areas, loose toilet seats and a discarded broken tissue dispenser."

A spokesperson for the care home told National World that improvements have been made since the inspection, and new management has been put in place.

"We are deeply upset with the findings in our latest CQC inspection report and took immediate action to address the issues raised by inspectors at the time of their visit in April," they said.

"Since then, we have been working closely with the local authority and the CQC on an action plan of ongoing improvements to ensure the high standards of care our residents, their loved ones, and we would normally expect. Since the inspection, a new home manager and regional manager have been appointed and are continuing with the improvements at the care home.

"Our highest priority is providing a safe, comfortable, and caring environment for those who reside with us and we look forward to our next inspection reflecting the changes that have been made."

Another care home, Dane View in Leicester, was reported to have disregarded even the most basic of hygeine standards - with faecal matter seemingly in abundance.

In their report, inspectors said: "A chair contaminated with faeces had been left in a stair well. Handrails and hand contact surfaces were worn and exposed porous surfaces that were difficult to sanitise effectively.

" We were not assured that the provider was supporting people living at the service to minimise the spread of infection. We found clean clothes and linen were stored next to soiled and dirty washing. This presented a risk of cross-contamination.

"A kitchenette used to prepare food and drink was visibly dirty."

Inspectors added that one resident was incontinent because they had to wait so long for a staff member to accompany them to the toilet.

Meanwhile in Wiltshire, Highfield Residential Home in Marlborough was found to have a "poor culture" and lack of training for staff members.

"People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests," inspectors reported.

"When asked if staff treated them with dignity and respect, a person told us 'no, they often forget about me' - we heard one member of staff describe someone as baby.

"One staff member told us they felt the provider 'forgot' about Highfield."

Dane View and Highfield were both approached by National World for comment.