A health watchdog has criticised a care home for not doing enough to protect the safety and welfare of its residents, despite an earlier warning to improve.

The Care Quality Commission issued a formal warning today to the owners of Woodlands View Residential and Nursing Home in Magpie Crescent, Stevenage to make improvements to standards of care or face further action.

The warning follows an unannounced visit by inspectors to the 120 capacity care home in April to check whether improvements had been made following an earlier inspection.

The regulator found Bupa Care Homes had not followed demands to increase staffing levels which it said are frequently too low to meet resident’s needs.

Residents and relatives complained to inspectors that there were long waits between asking staff for help and assistance being given.

Bupa was also unable to show any details of a promised staffing review and consultation with staff, residents and relatives, the CQC said.

Andrea Gordon, CQC regional deputy director of operations, said the providers have a legal duty to meet standards that everyone should be able to expect.

“This warning sends a clear message that the owners of Woodlands View Residential and Nursing Home needs to address this issue or face further consequences.

“Our inspectors will return in the near future and if we find that the required progress is not made we won’t hesitate to use our legal powers to protect the people who use this service.”

Bupa refuted the commission’s report however claiming to have carried out a staffing review after the CQC’s initial visit to “ensure the appropriate numbers of nurses and carers were on duty at any one time”, and were confident with the findings.

Elaine Farrer, deputy regional director, said: “Following the second inspection in April, we conducted a more comprehensive review and we shared this with the CQC, staff, residents and relatives. We are confident that our staffing levels are appropriate to meet our residents’ needs and the quality of our care has never been compromised. We review staffing levels on a daily basis and we would welcome a follow up visit by the CQC.”