RESIDENTS waiting too long for pain relief and improperly stored medicines are among criticisms aimed at Farnworth Care Home in a new Care Quality Commission (CQC) report.

Inspectors found that both the leadership and safety of the service required improvement in a report published at the end of November.

The ‘Requires Improvement’ rating is just above the ‘inadequate’ rating- the worst possible by the CQC.

The report said that during the inspection, it was observed that medicines were being administered until just before midday- meaning there was a risk people were receiving doses too close together.

Findings also discovered that staff were unaware of the correct processes to manage fridge temperatures, including one fridge which had been above the recommended range for several months.

The Care Home in currently cares for over 100 people, with room for up to 120.

While the service was rated ‘Good’ for effectiveness, care and responsiveness, it was overall rated ‘Requires Improvement’ amid concerns over safety and leadership..

The Care Quality Commission assesses care services across the country and state that if they find care that has fallen short of a necessary standard, they can use their powers to take action against those responsible.

In a statement, Andrea Gamble, Regional Operations Director for the home, said: “Whilst of course we were disappointed not to have received an overall rating of Good, the home did achieve Good for Caring, Responsive and Effective. Inspectors also acknowledged that there had been improvements in all of the areas identified at the previous inspection.

“Overall the report is very positive. The home did not agree with the ratings for Safe and Well Led and did present additional evidence. “However, no changes were made to the original outcome. Whenever a home is judged to have a breach of regulation, Well Led is automatically limited to Requires Improvement even if otherwise it would have been rated as Good, which we believe would have been the case when considering all the other evidence. We had already taken action at the time of the inspection and immediately after to address the medication issues which led to the breach.

“We are confident that the home provides high quality safe care under the direction of the Registered Manager, in who we have complete confidence.”

The Bolton News reported earlier this year that the care home had dropped to a ‘Requires Improvement’ ranking after inspectors found cigarette stubs lying about, wardrobes not properly attached to walls and dirty fingernails on residents who had not been properly cared for.