CARE home bosses have been forced to make sweeping changes after inspectors found there were instances of the health of residents being put at risk.

A team from care watchdog the Care Quality Commission visited Ainsworth Nursing Home in Knowsley Road, Ainsworth, in November and issued an official warning due to poor standards.

In its report published in January, inspectors said aspects of the service were not safe, ineffective and poorly led, and ordered bosses to make five legally binding improvements.

Speaking to the Radcliffe Times this week, the care home's assistant manager Kaniz Sadiq said wholesale changes had been made and inspectors returned last Thursday to give much more positive feedback.

"We took on board everything that was said an overhauled a lot of the way we do things and I am extremely confident that the changes have made things better for everyone — residents and staff."

The home can care for up to 37 people and, at the time of November's inspection 33 were living there, 16 of whom had dementia.

The report said: "On the day of our inspection we had concerns about staffing levels.

"Staff on the dementia unit were under pressure to meet people’s needs."

Relatives told inspectors they were worried about staffing levels at times. Some residents had not been given medication by 11am, despite it being due at breakfast time.

One resident asked for pain relief but did not get it. "This means people's health was at risk," the report said.

Inspectors were also concerned there were no checks in place on whether staff could safely administer medicine.

The report said: "The lack of a system meant people might be put at risk."

Other concerns included staff refusing to move patients where they wanted to go, or moving them where they did not want to go and refusing to give a resident a drink "until they had finished what was in their cup".

The report said: "This demonstrated a lack of respect for people's ability to make their own decisions."

Residents' confidential care records were publicly accessible and there was "a lack of meaningful activities" to keep people entertained and stimulated.

The home's activities co-ordinator told inspectors "people who were living in the dementia unit were not interested in activities," but inspectors saw no sign they had even been asked.

Under the terms of the warning notice, the CQC set a reasonable timescale for action to be taken and, if it is not met, the watchdog can take a range of enforcement action, including revoking a home's licence to operate.

Ms Sadiq said: "A lot of things have changed now. Most of the concerns have been addressed and the remainder are being addressed.

"All of the things that could be easily addressed, such as locking away records and administering medication, have been attended to.

"Staff have been, and are being trained, we have new systems in place and, on a general level, things are being done differently.

"When the CQC came back last Thursday, they were very happy. We are always trying to improve and will not be complacent."