A residential care home for people with learning disabilities was judged 'inadequate' in a recent inspection.

Hazelwood Lodge care home, in Chase Side, Southgate, was given the rating by the Care Quality Commission last month after being rated ‘inadequate’ in three of the five sections of its report.

The care home looks after people with learning disabilities under the age of 65. It has ten rooms and specialises in care for adults with Asperger syndrome, autism/ASD, Down syndrome and epilepsy.

Inspectors found the premises were not cleaned to a high standard and guidance in the National Specification for Cleanliness in Care Homes was not followed.

The inspections also branded the safety of the home ‘inadequate’ “because the registered manager did not have appropriate knowledge” of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 or the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Hazelwood Lodge was also found 'inadequate' in the report's ‘responsive’ and ‘well-led’ sections.

The report said: “People were regularly asked for their feedback about the quality of the service, but this was not always listened to or acted upon.”

This was just one of three concerns raised by the CQC in the responsive category.

Despite staff being told their responsibilities, the inspection revealed the home had a “critical culture” which was having “a negative effect on the quality of the service they received.”

Under the effective category, the CQC said the home required improvement and stated “food preferences” of patients “were not always considered when planning the menu and preparing meals, and the menu did not change from week to week.”

However, under the caring section, which also ‘requires improvement’ the inspection labelled the carers “demonstrated a good understanding of people’s individual communication needs”.

The Enfield Independent has asked the care home for a comment.