A CARE home is under investigation after alleged abuse by a staff member on a vulnerable resident.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) was called over an incident at the Barons Down Nursing Home in Lewes.

A whistleblower told The Argus that a carer had allegedly shaved an elderly woman’s body.

The source said: “It’s disgusting, it is their dignity, what would possess someone to do that?”

CQC inspectors recently told Barons Down management that the home “requires improvement” in a report published last month.

It is understood the alleged incident took place after the inspection in December.

East Sussex County Council’s safeguarding team is now believed to be investigating.

The CQC’s South East inspection head James Frewin said: “We are aware of the incident that took place at Barons Down Nursing Home in Lewes.

“This incident is currently being handled by the local safeguarding team, East Sussex.

“CQC will continue to monitor this service in line with our regulatory responsibilities.”

The source told The Argus: “What possessed the carer to go into the resident’s room and to shave the vulnerable resident?

“It’s beyond me.

“The CQC came in to inspect before Christmas. They have been contacted. It is just not nice, it is the resident’s dignity.”

The most recent CQC inspection found there were 22 residents living at the care home.

In a report published on January 28, it found there was a “lack of robust management oversight”.

“There was an increased risk people could be harmed,” the inspector said. It said the service provided is “not always safe” and residents’ fluid levels were not always monitored for their specific needs.

There were concerns about whether residents’ care plans were being correctly updated and about whether there was effective infection control.

The report did find that the outcomes for residents were “consistently good” and said the service was both “effective” and “caring”.

Inspectors said care home staff treated residents with dignity and respect.

But the report found that the care was not always “responsive” to residents’ needs, and found that the leadership “required improvement” because it was not always “consistent”.

The care home was contacted for comment and The Argus was told that the specific claim was “confidential information”.

East Sussex County Council said: “We do not comment specifically on issues that involve the safeguarding of vulnerable individuals.”