AN INSPECTION carried out at Westbury Lodge Care Home found that patients were at risk of dehydration because they were not being looked after properly - and the home told inspectors it was short of staff.

The report, published by the Care Quality Commission after an inspection in November, says that the home in Station Road, Westbury, requires improvement in all areas.

Some improvements had been made following an inspection in October but not all of them, meaning the home remains in special measures.

A spokesman for the home, which owned by Craegmoor, said: “We take the CQC report seriously and have a robust action plan in place, overseen by senior management, to ensure all the issues it raises are fully addressed.

“We are pleased to see that the CQC recognised that we had already implemented some improvements and taken immediate action since its last visit.

“Since March 2016, the home has undergone a £95,000 refurbishment.

“New meal and support plans are in place, staffing levels have increased, there are plans in place to recruit more staff and training has been improved.

“A new home manager was appointed last year and we continue to work hard to ensure the home meets all the needs of the people living there.”

The CQC report, published on January 19, said one patient who was at risk of losing weight had been prescribed supplement drinks and put on a monthly weight recording chart.

But over nine months they had only been weighed four times and was not offered 'appropriate choices' around food and drink.

Staff had continued to leave since March 2016 and the registered manager told the CQC inspectors that one member of staff had left without warning when they failed to show up for a shift.

Staff told the inspectors they felt under pressure from not having enough staff. Relatives had also raised their concerns, with one saying: ‘If they are there they will support him but they keep leaving. There is a big turnover’.

A CQC spokesman said: “For adult social care services the maximum time for being in special measures will usually be no more than 12 months.

“While some improvements were observed at this inspection further developments are required and the improvements made need time to embed in practise.

“For this reason this service will stay in special measures.”