'Significant concern' for care home residents

Safety is a "significant concern" at a care home after "avoidable harm" was caused but not reported, the health watchdog has said.

St Elizabeth Care Home in Woolston, Southampton, has been rated as inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection in January.

It remains in special measures after inspectors found managers had "failed to make sufficient improvements" after its last damning inspection in March 2025.

RG Care Homes, which runs the facility, said it was "committed" to addressing the issues and had made "significant changes" since January.

Neil Cox, CQC's deputy director of operations in Hampshire, said it was "clear leaders still didn't have a proper grip on the very serious issues the home was facing".

He said a shortfall in staffing levels meant people "weren't always treated with dignity or given real choices about their own care", including one person who told inspectors they were not allowed to leave the home despite "having the capacity to make that decision".

Cox said this was "completely unacceptable".

He said safety was also a "significant concern" and leaders had identified "avoidable harm" caused through poor wound care had not been reported to the local authority as per legal requirements.

He added: "We did see some kind interactions with people and staff, and that's important to acknowledge.

"But good intentions aren't enough when the leadership and systems needed to keep people safe simply aren't in place."

RG Care Homes said it recognised "stronger oversight should have been in place".

"A new management team is now in place and we are working with an experienced local consultant who will shortly take on the role of Nominated Individual to support improvements across the service," a spokesperson said.

"A comprehensive action plan was implemented immediately following the inspection and a number of improvements have already been made."