A CARE home has been told by inspectors it must improve after failing to report trips and falls to a health watchdog.

Ireland Lodge, in Lockwood Crescent, Woodingdean, was visited by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on July 16.

Inspectors found the care home, run by Brighton and Hove City Council, “required improvement” in two of the five categories used to rate care homes.

This is the second CQC report in two years which has demanded the care home improve.

Ireland Lodge is a residential care home which provides personal care to 21 people aged 50 and over.

Inspectors told the service that its leadership must improve.

The new report states that in March 2019 the home failed to report that a person had been taken to hospital and required stitches after a fall.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, providers are required to notify CQC of authorisations when a person is deprived of their liberty, or allegations of abuse and serious injuries.

The report said: “This was a notifiable event, yet the Commission was not informed of this incident”

It also found the service did not tell the CQC about a safeguarding enquiry into a person who had two falls in a year.

The commission was not notified of this enquiry.

Inspectors also told the care home its service must improve.

They found that while food and fluid charts were in place, these were not totalled at the end of each day.

The report said: “There was no analysis of people’s intake to help contribute towards the plan of care or to indicate when further action was required.”

However, the report found the service was “good” in three other categories.

Inspectors said the service was safe, caring and responsive. They found relatives of residents spoke highly of the service and the care and support provided at the home.

One relative said: “I know we can go home, and the people here will do their job and she is safe. That gives us as a family such peace of mind.”

The report added: “The administration of medicines was safe. Staff received training and their competency was regularly assessed.

“There were enough staff on each shift to support people and robust recruitment checks were carried out before staff started working at the service. Staff received training and supervision to ensure that they had the right skills and abilities to support people.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said; “We are very pleased that our Ireland Lodge residents and their relatives have spoken highly of the kind and caring nature of our staff.

“We accept the findings of the CQC report.

“We recognise that we need to focus more closely on record keeping and deliver more consistent staff supervision and leadership.

“We have an action plan in place that is already addressing the issues the CQC inspectors have raised, and are confident that we will be in line for an improved rating next time they visit.”