RESIDENTS at an Ainsworth care home have been left unwashed, unsupervised, and unsafe, according to a damning new report.

Ainsworth Nursing Home was placed into 'special measures' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in May 2015 and has now been given an 'inadequate' inspection rating for the third time in less than two years, after a series of new and continued regulation breaches were discovered.

Inspectors who visited the home, in Knowsley Road, for three days in June found that some residents had been left for weeks without a shower, one was forced to sit in their own urine for 25 minutes, and that a member of staff was "disrespectful and patronising".

The home's bosses have lodged an appeal against the outcome of the report, which they say contains "inaccuracies".

The report said: "One person's personal hygiene records we looked at showed between the period March 1, 2016 until June 6, 2016, they had received a total of one shower. Another person had received 11 showers during the same time frame and a third person had also gone 25 days without having a bath or shower.

"All these people were incontinent and required full support with toileting and hygiene needs. We also saw that people's teeth and hair had not been washed or cleaned on a regular basis."

The home remains in special measures and the CQC say they are now considering the appropriate regulatory response to this latest report, which could include revoking the home's registration.

Inspectors added that none of the members of staff they spoke to had a good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and that, on one occasion, the dementia unit was left unstaffed for approximately five minutes, leaving vulnerable residents "at risk".

Evidence was also found that people were given 'when required' (PRN) medicines at times when they were not needed or in accordance with the prescriber's instructions.

However, inspectors also reported that relatives of people who used the home felt their loved ones were "safe, well cared for and that staff were kind and caring."

Since the previous inspection in January, at which the home was given a 'requires improvement' rating, the CQC received several emails from relatives outlining the positive aspects of the home.

One relative said: "Ainsworth has always had a calm and friendly atmosphere greatly contributing to the satisfaction of both residents and their families."

The report adds that "no consideration" was given to what residents wanted for their meals and that when an inspector observed that one person's clothes were wet with urine while eating lunch, staff did not take them to get changed.

Inspectors said: "This person was taken to be changed at 1.50pm, meaning they had been sat in their own urine for 25 minutes. Not only is this undignified, it places the person at risk of their skin breaking down and becoming sore."

A spokesman for the home said: "We have had social workers and the local authority in before and they have given the home an A rating for the care provided. They have had no issues.

"The families of our residents are happy and the care provider has lodged an appeal regarding the report from the CQC and is awaiting a response. There are inaccuracies in the report.

"He has run the home since 1986 and there are a number of residents who have been here for a significant number of years. We have a good relationship with the local authority and they don't have any issues with us."

At the time of the inspection, a new manager had been in place for three weeks and was in the process of applying to register with the CQC. The manager was described as approachable, open, and transparent throughout the visit.