SERIOUS shortcomings have been identified at a care home in Barry, after inspectors witnessed staff failing to notice residents had soiled themselves and others at severe risk of falling left unattended.

Care Inspectorate Wales conducted two inspections at Island View Care Home on Friars Road in October last year, discovering that standards at the home were in breach of legal requirements and identifying numerous other failures requiring attention.

The report also identified severe staff shortages and a high proportion of inexperienced carers, which had contributed to residents requiring one-to-one support being left unsupervised.

The home was noted to be "malodorous" and residents had clearly been left without assistance to maintain their dignity and cleanliness. In some cases, care records were not adhered to and had not been updated for some time, and there were doubts as to whether medication was being administered correctly by staff.

Numerous hazards were also identified throughout the building, however a number of these had been rectified by the time of the second inspection on October 30.

While there were positive elements to the report, including residents' satisfaction with the quality of food and the fact that, by the time of the second inspection, some steps had been taken to address problems, it was determined that the home was non-compliant with several aspects of the law.

In one incident seen by inspectors during their visit, a resident was noted to have removed their lower clothing in the dining area before a member of staff stepped in to help pull them up. Inspectors had to intervene as this was being done in full view of other residents, before the member of staff took them away. Once they had left, inspectors again had to step in to notify staff that the resident had soiled themselves at the table and the mess had not been cleaned up.

In their summary, the inspectors wrote: "Residents cannot be confident that the home is operated with their best interests at the forefront of care provision.

"We found a lack of auditing meant residents health or any deterioration was not being recognised and acted upon. We therefore deem that the registered persons are in breach of Regulation 10 (1) as they have not carried on and managed the care home with due care, competency and skill.

"As a result of our continued grave concerns by our findings and lack of action taken since our last inspection that we plan to meet with the responsible individual and registered manager as part of the enforcement process."

Director of social services for the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Lance Carver, said: "The council is aware of the issues raised in this report and is working with Care Inspectorate Wales and the care home in question to address them. Steps have already been taken to make improvements and we will continue to monitor the situation closely."

Harrison Care Enterprises Ltd, who own the home, have been contacted for comment.