SAFETY at a care home near York "requires improvement" - the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said after its latest inspection.

Inspectors from the CQC visited the William Wilberforce home in West Green, Pocklington, in November 2022 - and concluded that the home's safety and leadership needed improvement.

However, the care home's manager said the rating was due to issues with the home's auditing process, there were "no issues with direct care" and the matters noted by the CQC were "rectified on the day of inspection".

The CQC report suggests that medicines were not always managed safely in the home and sometimes not administered in "line with prescribing instructions".

It says: "Staff did not always follow best practice when administering as and when required medicines. Protocols for as and when required medicine were not always accessible to staff to guide them."

But, the CQC said that following the inspection, the registered manager responded to the concerns raised regarding the management of medicine and put plans in place to address them.

The report says there was a high number of recorded accidents and incidents at the service over a three-month period and the registered manager reviewed all incidents and accidents.

"However, the analysis was not sufficiently detailed or robust at identifying themes and trends to learn lessons," the report says.

The report suggests that residents felt safe at the service - adding: "People told us, 'I am safe here, the staff come when I need them' and 'Yes, I feel safe, it's a nice place'."

It says staff knew what action to take to ensure people were safe and protected from harm and abuse - and that the service had a safeguarding policy in place. The inspectors found that staff were always around to help the residents.

The report also suggests that residents are supported by a "sufficient number of staff" at the home - and that staff were recruited safely.

The report says that records on allergies were not always in place to help staff to administer medicines safely - and that audits did not always identify potential risks to the safety of the service or people.

Commenting on the CQC report, registered manager at the home, Alex Pigui, said: "I am disappointed at the recent CQC rating of RI (requires improvement) for issues with our auditing process which sadly takes away from the high standard of care we provide.

"Our residents are at the centre of everything we do and I can reassure you there were no issues with direct care. The items CQC noted were rectified on the day of inspection.

"I am pleased that the report acknowledges that staff keep our residents safe and provide person-centred, compassionate care when engaging with them - a view also shared by many past and present residents and their families.

"The William Wilberforce is committed to delivering high-quality care and support, despite the significant challenges adult social care continues to face."

The care home provides accommodation and personal care for those who may have dementia or a physical disability. The service can support 64 people in one adapted building. At the time of the inspection 62 people were using the service, the CQC report says.