A NURSING home branded inadequate by inspectors has closed.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said St David’s in West Hill Road, St Leonards, needed to make urgent improvements or face enforcement action following a visit by the watchdog.

Inspectors made an unannounced visit in October and found the home was failing to provide care which was safe, effective, caring and responsive to people’s needs.

The CQC has now been told all 15 elderly residents who had been cared for at the home at the time have been moved and the home has closed. The commission’s report identified a number of areas in which improvements were required, including: • There was no clear management structure in place.

• People’s safety was at risk in a number of areas. Risk assessments were not always accurately completed and for one person there were none in place. People were not being adequately protected from the risk of pressure sores.

• People’s care was not planned or delivered or monitored consistently. In some cases, this either put people at risk or meant they did not have their individual care needs met.

• People were not always supported to eat and drink enough to meet their needs.

• The provider did not have a system to assess staffing levels. This meant they could not be sure there were enough qualified staff. People living in the home, and visitors, raised concerns about low staff numbers.

• The process for monitoring the quality of care was not effective.