Overstretched care staff struggled to bathe residents once a week

A Cheltenham care home with staffing issues struggled to give some residents a weekly bath, the CQC has said.

Nazareth House, which is run by Nazareth Care Charitable Trust, was rated Requires Improvement by the CQC following an inspection in June.

The CQC said: “There were enough staff deployed to ensure people’s health needs were being met but staff sickness had led to shortages which impacted on people receiving person centred care, including access to baths when they wanted.

Story continues below

Advertisement

“We recommended that the service seek advice based on current best practice, around how to use staff most effectively.”

Care staff told the CQC that they were unable to assist people with baths when required. One member of staff said: “We don’t give them the baths when they like, it has an impact on people.”

One resident said: “I would like to have a bath twice a week, I rarely get one weekly.”

The CQC also reported an incident where a staff member refused to let a resident sit down when they wanted to do.

Nazareth Care issued an apology and said the manager at the time of the inspection had moved on.

CEO Robert York told The Express: “Lessons have been learned by everyone involved and with close liaison with the Care Quality Commission we are confident that the next report will reflect the changes already being implemented.”