A CARE home has been ordered to improve for the second time in less than two years after inspectors found problems with the safety of the service.

Elizabeth House in Benfleet Road, Hadleigh, cares for up to 108 people living with dementia.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission went back into the care home after a previous visit raised concerns over staffing and safe practice at the care home’s Poppy and Bluebell units.

The report found the home must improve after inspectors said the service was unsafe and there were not enough staff on duty.

Inspectors said: “A person was seen sitting outside the office in their dressing gown with a full catheter bag that had been leaking as they walked and they were very distressed and uncomfortable.

“This showed there were insufficient staffing levels to meet people’s needs in an appropriate timeframe and ensure their safety and welfare.”

With three staff working in Poppy unit to support 55 people and three staff working in Bluebell to support 51 people, one visitor told inspectors: “There rarely seems enough staff to meet people’s needs because you ask staff to do things and they never seem to have the time to do them as several days later the job has still not been done. I have waited more than sevenminutes for the call bell to be answered and they are often ringing throughout my visits.”

Problems with staffing also meant Poppy unit had six staff on duty to care for 106 people with inspectors saying “people were often left in unsafe situations because of a lack of staff”.

There was also a shortage of towels, flannels, crockery and cutlery.

Inspectors said the home is good overall and the service is now responsive with improvements made to the communal lounge with spaces for people to use for quiet time and to meet with friends and family.

Runwood Homes, which runs Elizabeth House, says a plan has been made to address the issues in the report.

In a statement, Runwood Homes said: “Elizabeth House was inspected in July 2015 following on from a previous inspection in November 2014.

Elizabeth House has a ‘Good’ overall rating.

“Following the most recent inspection an action plan has been forwarded to the Care Quality Commission to identify actions taken to rectify shortfalls noted at the time – we are confident the issues have been addressed by the management team.”

The home was told to improve last year following issues with staffing. Inspectors praised the home’s care, welfare, food and medicine management.