A care home has been told it 'requires improvement' after the CQC found its residents were not always protected from the risk of abuse.

The Farmhouse, in Wingletye Lane, received the second-lowest rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after inspections in May and June.

The home - which cares for up to seven adults under 65 with learning disabilities - was rated as 'requires improvement' in four out of the five areas that the CQC assesses.

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This was actually an improvement on the previous rating, as the service was told it was 'inadequate' by the watchdog in December 2023 and put in 'special measures'.

After the most recent assessments between May 3 and June 19 this year, the care home was judged as no longer needing to be in special measures, with inspectors noting improvements around how residents were treated.

However, The Farmhouse was still found to be in breach of regulations in several areas, including risk assessments, safeguarding, staff recruitment and good governance.

Inspectors said: "People were not always protected from the risk of abuse and harm.

"Robust risk assessments and safeguarding processes were not in place to ensure people received safe care. 

"Lessons were not always being learnt following incidents and accidents to improve the service."

The way the care home was managed was also judged to need further improvement.

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Inspectors picked up on several "shortfalls" in this area, such as the home not having "robust systems" in place to ensure it was recruiting staff safely.

The report said:  "This meant there was a lack of oversight in ensuring staff were suitable to work with people who used the service, which meant people may not consistently receive high quality care."

As well as this, The Farmhouse failed to keep updated and complete records on night welfare checks and infection control, which meant there was a risk residents "may not receive safe and effective care consistently". 

The only area where the Hornchurch home was rated as 'good' was in its effectiveness, as people were found to be assessed regularly to ensure they received "personalised care".

The Recorder has contacted The Farmhouse for comment.