by Jenni Horn

A care home has been told it must make urgent improvements or it could be shut down.

Acorn House Residential Home in Chatham has been given a formal warning by the health regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Three notices have been issued following an unannounced inspection of the home in Maidstone Road.

Inspectors found that the home, which looks after 20 elderly residents, was failing to deliver care in a way which met the individual needs of its residents. It found that information in care plans, which would be needed to deliver safe and appropriate care, was sometimes incorrect or missing altogether.

Inspectors also found the home did not have adequate systems in place to identify, monitor and manage risks to people living there, and staff were not being appropriately supported to perform their roles in terms of training and professional supervision.

Ian Biggs, deputy director of CQC in the south, said: "The standards of quality and safety in care that CQC checks are those that the law says everyone should expect. These standards exist to protect vulnerable people – who cannot always speak up for themselves – from being put at risk of harm.

"Complete and up to date care plans are vital in making sure that the care people get is tailored to their individual needs. When these records are incomplete or incorrect, this presents a serious risk to safety and welfare."

The CQC has given Acorn House until Friday, July 27 to take action to meet the regulatory requirements.

CQC has a range of enforcement powers which include restricting the services a provider can offer, or, in the most serious cases, suspending or cancelling a service.

CQC can also issue financial penalty notices and cautions or prosecute the provider for failing to meet essential standards.

Mr Biggs added: "Our inspectors will return in the near future to carry out another unannounced inspection. If we find that the home is not making the required progress we won’t hesitate to use our legal powers further to protect the people who live there."

Do you know someone who is looked after at the home? Leave your comments below or call the news room on 01634 227828.