A care home in Bromley has been told it is in breach of legal regulations, after leaving its residents "at risk of receiving unsafe care and treatment".

Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors rated Homefield care home, located in Lime Close, as Requires Improvement after an inspection in November 2023.

Homefield, run by Mission Care, provides nursing, personal care and support to 41 elderly residents, some of whom are living with dementia.

In the report released on March 8, the CQC rated the service as needing improvement in safety, effectiveness and leadership.

Despite these ratings, the home was identified as 'Good' in its caring and responsiveness.

The inspectors found that "people were not always protected from risks associated with their care and support", stating that these risks were not always properly evaluated and documented in care plans and records.

For instance, one resident's care plan indicated they had epilepsy and were at risk of seizures.

However, inspectors found that there was no risk assessments in place for this condition, and no guidance for staff on how to respond in the event of a seizure.

The report concluded that this person was therefore placed at "potential harm".

The report also said that "the service did not always work within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act" and that the "processes in place for managing and administering medicines were not always safe".

Although the report made it clear that no residents had come to any harm, it did say residents were put "at risk of receiving unsafe care".

Despite these areas of concern, residents reported feeling safe within the home according to the inspectors.

Staff were supported through training and knew how to act on any concerns.

The report highlighted that people described staff as "caring and kind", praising their respect for residents' dignity and independence.

Despite the compliments to staff and their care, the CQC concluded that the care home had breached several legal regulations, including the Mental Capacity Act.

The report highlighted steps taken during and after the inspection to rectify these issues.

Recommendations were made for best practice in areas such as medicine management.

A spokesperson for Homefield said: "We are extremely disappointed with latest CQC rating and strongly believe this does not provide an accurate reflection of the quality of care we are delivering.

"Homefield is a well-established dementia care service, loved by residents and relatives alike, and is recognised by the local community for the caring environment staff provide.

"We are proud of the popularity of the home, its high occupancy rates, and the good customer service reviews we receive.

"We are in conversations with the CQC to seek to understand how they have arrived at the conclusions they have."

The CQC is giving Homefield the chance to make the necessary improvements to meet legal standards.

The watchdog will review the performance of the centre in upcoming inspections.