A Stockport care home has been told they need to make improvements by inspectors.

Chester House Care Home, in Hazel Grove, was rated 'requires improvement' this week. The service was also found to be in breach of four regulations, the CQC said.

A number of safety concerns were raised by the watchdog. One person had left the home, which cares for people with dementia, on two occasions unseen, but there was no plan to mitigate risks and the building was not secured.

Inspectors also said they were 'not assured' that a skin infection for one resident was being 'safely managed'. A new person had recently moved into the home, but two weeks later no need assessment had been carried out and no care plans were in place.

A number of fire risks were also evidenced, including one person's bedroom being used as a fire escape route but furniture was placed in front of the fire door. Medicine management was also an issue, with inspectors not assured medicines were given at the correct times or stored safely, and people on high-risk medicines not having regular reviews.

There were residents who looked 'unkempt', 'had an odour' and were wearing unclean clothing, the report continues. The inspection team further noted that some residents had dirt under their fingernails and unclean teeth, with several people not having 'ready access' to toothbrushes and toothpaste.

'Many' parts of the home were also dirty, inspectors said, and there was a lack of hand sanitiser and handwash throughout the home. Ground floor wash areas were 'particularly unclean' with 'malodour', while the outdoor space was unkempt with 'broken furniture', the report added.

However, residents and relatives spoke highly of staff, saying they have 'have always been very supportive' and are 'like friends'.

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A spokesman for the home said they take the findings 'seriously' and 'fully recognise' the areas in which improvements are needed. Prior to the latest inspection, the care home had been rated 'good' for nine years and the 'safety, wellbeing and dignity' of residents 'remains the highest priority', he added.

Remedial works 'have commenced' and the identified administrative issues were 'addressed immediately'. The spokesman added: "A comprehensive action plan is in place, and we are working through this at pace, with increased management oversight to ensure that the necessary improvements are implemented, embedded and sustained.

"It is also important to recognise the positive findings contained within the CQC's report. The report states that the people CQC spoke with expressed that they were generally happy, and records positive comments from people living at Chester House about feeling safe and the care they receive. The CQC also reported generally positive feedback about staff kindness from people and their relatives.

"The report further acknowledges that inspectors observed kind and caring interactions between staff and the people we support, and that staff were helpful, accommodating and positive during the inspection. Relatives also spoke positively about the care provided by staff.

"We welcome those comments because they reflect the dedication of our staff and the relationships they have built with the people they support. At the same time, we recognise that positive relationships and feedback do not diminish the importance of the improvements identified by the CQC, and we are committed to ensuring that the required standards are consistently achieved across every aspect of the service.

"We understand that the rating may understandably cause concern for people living at Chester House and their families. We want to reassure them that we have listened carefully to the findings, action has already been taken, and further improvements are actively underway.

"We will continue to work constructively with the CQC and other relevant professionals as we deliver our action plan. Our priority is to restore the standards that Chester House has maintained over many years and to continue providing a safe, caring and respectful home for the people we support."