A CARE home for people with learning difficulties has been told to improve in its first inspection since being taken over by a private company.

Dimensions Ltd took over the learning disabilities contract from Somerset County Council in April 2017, including responsibility for The Saplings care home in Taunton.

The Care Quality Commission rated the service on five key points but overall it was given a score of 'requires improvement'. It scored 'good' in three sections for being effective, caring and responsive, but 'requires improvement' in being safe and well-led.

The report highlighted some concerns regarding the storage and recording of medicines, and the leadership.

An inspector for the CQC said: "The care home has been open a number of years and was previously owned and managed by Somerset

County Council. This was the first inspection of the home since it was registered with Dimensions Somerset

Sev Limited.

"The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the

Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence

and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any

citizen.

"There was a registered manager in post, however at the time of this inspection the registered manager had

been away from the home for a number of weeks and the home was being managed by the deputy

manager.

"Improvements were needed to make sure the home was well led. The quality monitoring was not always

effective in making sure that improvements to the service people received was implemented in a timely

manner. Records relating to the safe running of the home and people's personal care were not always clear,

up to date or correct. Information, such as care plans and the complaints policy was not always available to

people in a format which met their individual needs.

"Staff were not always following up to date guidance in relation to the safe storage and recording of

medicines."

Some positives were also highlighted in the report, including the kind and compassionate staff who ensured the residents had opportunities to socialise.

Managing director Luke Joy-Smith said: "I’m obviously disappointed that the Saplings was found to Require Improvement by the CQC, and we are already taking steps to resolve the issues that the inspector identified.

"This is the first Dimensions registered location to be found to 'require improvement' – we have had 'good' ratings in our three previous inspections and in two more as yet unpublished drafts.

"There were significant positives within the report, and indeed the service was rated 'good' in three of the five inspection areas.

"In particular I’d like to acknowledge the following feedback on the support workers at the Saplings: ‘People were cared for by staff who were kind and compassionate. Long term staff had built trusting relationships with people and tried to involve them in day to day activities according to people's abilities. People's physical needs were well managed and staff ensured people had opportunities for social stimulation.’

"Highlighting positives should not mask the negatives, and I look forward to resolving these and achieving a successful re-inspection in due course."

The report can be read at www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-3530880819