A care home for people with learning disabilities has been rated inadequate over safety fears for residents.

The Highviews in Saltdean was given the score by the CQC following an inspection in March which was triggered after the health watchdog received concerns about staffing, risk management and care planning.

The home, in Saltdean Drive, is a residential care home providing personal care to up to six people in an adapted house in a residential area.

The service provides support to people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder, people with mental health conditions, physical disabilities, sensory impairment, dementia, older people and younger adults.

Inspectors criticised the home for insufficient staffing levels and a lack of leadership, with inspectors witnessing a resident, who had a choking risk and who required staff to be with them when they were eating and drinking, being left alone due to staff having to attend to another person.

Inspectors also found that some staff were working 48 hour shifts.

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The report said: “The service did not have enough appropriate staff to support people's needs and keep them safe. Risks to people were not always assessed and managed to ensure people's safety, including environmental risks and fire safety.

“People did not always receive the support they needed, including when people were at risk of choking.

“People were not always receiving their medicines safely and staff were not all trained and assessed as competent to administer medicines.

“The insufficient staffing levels had a negative impact on people's quality of life and meant that people were not always supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives.

“There were restricted opportunities to go out and pursue activities in the local community. One person told us, 'I miss being able to meet up with my friends'."

However, inspectors praised the care provided by the home’s staff.

The report said: “People received kind and compassionate care from staff who knew them well. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity.

“Staff considered matters of consent and understood the importance of protecting people's rights.

“People told us they were happy living at The Highviews and they had developed positive relationships with staff. One person said, ‘all the staff are my favourites’."

Inspectors said a new manager at the home had already identified most of the inspectors’ concerns and had created a service improvement plan with a timescale for actions.