A PENSNETT care home has been told to improve after concerns were raised over the safety of its residents.

Eve House was given an overall rating as ‘requires improvement’ by Care Quality Commission inspectors after an unannounced inspection on November 30 and December 2 last year.

Inspectors raised concerns about staffing levels at the Albert Street home, which looks after people with a range of needs including learning disabilities, physical disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder.

Although relatives said they thought their family members were safe, the CQC report stated there were not enough staff to meet people's needs.

At the time of inspection there were four people living at the home and two members of staff on duty.

This led to residents being unsupervised when one person needed to use a hoist - which requires two members of staff to operate.

The report also stated: "We heard from staff that there had been staff shortages previously, which included during the night.

"On these occasions, a person who required two people for their moving and handling needs had to be supported to bed earlier than their preferred time."

However inspectors were advised that this had not happened recently and two staff worked throughout the night, confirmed by staffing rotas.

Other safety concerns included cleaning materials being stored on the bathroom floor and in an unlocked cupboard, meaning people had access to hazardous substances but once the matter was flagged up by inspectors, a lock was fitted to the cupboard door.

The report stated that while staff were "knowledgeable" about how to protect people from harm, not all of them had completed refresher training to ensure their knowledge and skills were up to date.

But the service was rated 'good' for being caring and staff were praised for interacting with people in a "kind and compassionate manner" and respecting their privacy and dignity.

The report said: "They were attentive, relaxed and had a friendly approach. Staff we spoke with knew people well and this was demonstrated through the interactions we observed."

When contacted by the News, a representative from Eve House declined to comment.