A WIRRAL care home has been placed under special measures after an inspection by the national watchdog.

The Care Quality Commission found vulnerable people living at Acrefield House in Prenton were “not kept safe” and gave the home its lowest possible rating - “inadequate” in four out of five categories.

The organisation which runs the home said it had taken immediate action to turn things around, including hiring a new manager.

The CQC reports says: “Altercations between people living at the home caused people to be upset and not feel safe.

“Staff told us they liked working at Acrefield House but they were not confident in supporting people during challenging situations and appropriate guidance was not in place for them to be effective.

“We found the atmosphere to be tense at times. When we spoke with staff many of them also told us of divisions and in-fighting among the staff.”

The watchdog found Acrefield - which provides accommodation for people with dementia, physical disabilities and sensory impairments - lacked clear leadership and good governance.

“There was a poor culture among the staff which was well known,” the report says.

“The registered manager had not assessed and monitored people’s care to a sufficient degree so that he was able to be assured it was of good quality.”

The commission praised the establishment for being well-maintained and clean, commenting on how it was decorated in a “homely and non-clinical’ style.

Special measures will be kept under review and Acrefield will be inspected again in six months during which time significant improvements must be made.

Acrefield House is one of 21 properties run by MHC, whose operations director Kim Moore said: “Following the report we have taken immediate action to put things right.

“We have written to all the families of our residents and are liaising with them to make sure they are kept up to date with developments and would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their continued support.”