A Kirkcudbright care home has been issued with an improvement notice after inspectors uncovered a series of failings.
The Care Inspectorate found Merse House was “not operating in accordance with the regulations”.
And it warned that unless it upped its game a proposal would be made to cancel its registration.
The home was ordered to carry out “significant improvements” with four areas identified for action by November 8 and a fifth by January 3.
Among the instructions were to ensure, at all times, “adequate numbers of skilled and competent staff on each shift, to meet service users’ health, safety and wellbeing needs”.
The need to “roster and deploy staff in accordance with your assessment informed by each service user’s care plan” was also identified.
Particular attention was further given to residents’ food and drinks intake.
Staff “must ensure that service users are provided with regular food and fluids” and “record food and fluid intake accurately as set out in the care plan”.
Accordingly, action must be taken if daily targets are not met.
Staff were also to identify and respond to “any change to a service user’s nutritional, including any unintended weight loss, and hydration needs”.
The home was also ordered to make sure “service users live in an environment that is safe and clean” so they “experience dignity and respect, and risk to any transmission of infection is mitigated.”
In addition, by January 3 the home “must ensure” quality assurance systems are in place with “effective monitoring” of staff practice which, where poor, must be recognised with “prompt action” taken.
The report warned: “The Care Inspectorate hereby gives you notice that unless there is a significant improvement in provision of the service, it intends to make a proposal to cancel your registration.”
A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said: “We understand this is a difficult and distressing time for residents, their families and staff at the service.
“However, our first priority is always the health and wellbeing of residents of the service.
“Because of our concerns about the safety of residents we have issued an Improvement Notice to the service.
“This sets out the significant improvements that must be made within a specified timeframe.
“We are in contact with and monitoring the service to follow up on the required improvements.
“If we are not satisfied that sustained improvement has been made we will not hesitate to take further action.
Merse House operators, Park Homes Ltd, said: “Park Homes UK takes the recent rating issued by the Care Inspectorate very seriously.
“We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of compliance and ensuring the safety, security and wellbeing of our residents.
“We acknowledge the concerns raised by the regulator, and we are fully dedicated to addressing these issues promptly and comprehensively.
Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership (DGHSCP) highlighted the welfare of the 27 residents of Merse House as its “paramount concern”, adding it was working with Park Homes to resolve the issues raised.