A HAMWORTHY care home failed to manage medicines properly and failed to implement infection control, an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found.

Dorset House, operated by Care South, was home to 42 residents - many with dementia - when CQC inspectors made their unannounced visit in October.

This one-day inspection was carried out after the CQC received allegations that poor staffing levels were impacting quality of care at the Coles Avenue care home.

However, this latest CQC visit took place just six months after a longer, more comprehensive, inspection - which resulted in the home being rated by the CQC as good overall.

The report into the October visit explained: "We received allegations regarding poor staffing levels which were impacting on the provision of care, and about the poor management of the service.

"We also had concerns about the management of some specific types of medicines following an incident at the home.

"We received this information and carried out an inspection focussing on the questions, is the home safe? And is the service well led?"

Inspectors found residents were "protected from potential abuse and avoidable harm" by "staff who were knowledgeable about recognising and reporting signs of abuse."

They also confirmed sufficient numbers of appropriately qualified staff were available on each shift, enabling residents were "cared and supported safely."

However, the report into the CQC inspection did conclude: "Medicines were not always stored appropriately and managed effectively.

"People were not always protected from the risks of infection."

So now, the CQC has rated the care home overall as 'requiring improvement' and 'requiring improvement' in safety and leadership.

On the question of leadership, the report explained: "The registered manager had recently been providing management support to another care home operated by the registered provider as well as Dorset House.

"They confirmed that they were still spending time at Dorset House but could not be there fulltime with the responsibility of managing another service.

"The deputy manager had stepped-up to manage the home in the registered manager's absence and confirmed that the registered provider has also provided additional management support.

"The management team were responsive throughout the inspection and took immediate steps to rectify the issues that we highlighted and ensure procedures were introduced to prevent any recurrence."