VULNERABLE residents at a Hampshire care home were put at risk of burning and injuring themselves due to a lack of care, it has been revealed.

In a critical report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), inspectors witnessed a catalogue of failings at the Hawthorns Care Centre, in Woolston, Southampton, that saw residents getting “inappropriate” and “unsafe” care as a result of gaps in care documents.

Bosses were warned to take immediate action to ensure the safety of the 33 residents living at the centre, in St Anne’s Road, at the time of the inspection.

Today, Life Style Care, which runs the centre, vowed that the changes have already been made, with the introduction of new care plans. The unannounced visit by inspectors in November revealed a series of breaches when it came to the safety of residents, some of whom were put at risk of injuring and burning themselves.

The failure to update and fill out individual care plans for residents meant that in some cases staff were not always aware of specific needs of patients, such as those at very high risk of falling.

The report states: “There was a lack of robust and reliable care planning and review of people’s needs, which put some people at risk of inappropriate or unsafe care.”

In one case a resident whose care plan stated that they should be assisted with drinks, was seen by inspectors struggling alone with a cup and dropping it.

The report added: “We did not see any staff assisting the person with their drink. The person was therefore put at risk of burning themselves as the care plan was not followed and did not take into account the person’s preference.”

Inspectors also found that the advice of healthcare professionals was not being followed in all cases by nursing staff and concerns were raised over the recording, ordering and auditing of medication.

Ian Biggs, deputy director of CQC in the south, said: “Care plans must contain enough information to ensure that people’s individual needs are met, so that they receive safe care which is of a high standard. Our inspectors will return in the near future to carry out another unannounced inspection. If we find that the home is not making the required progress we won’t hesitate to use our legal powers further to protect the people who live there.”

Paul Ware, one of the directors of Life Style Care, told the Daily Echo that he was “confident” the inspectors’ concerns had been addressed.

He added: “We regret if there is any resident who has experienced poor care as a result of gaps in documentation. We have ensured that staff understand that documentation is as important as the actual physical care of a resident.”