A Southampton care home found to have large cobwebs around the windows, visibly dirty laundry and mops in unclean water has been rated inadequate by inspectors.

Oakwood Residential Home on West End Road in Bitterne was given the new rating after an inspection on August 10, 11 and 15.

However, the manager has said staff at the home - for elderly people and those with dementia - are working together so that changes can be made.

'Mop heads that were black with dirt were being used'

Care Quality Commission inspectors found there were areas of the home that needed a deep clean.

The report said: “There were areas of the home that were not clean, the laundry was visibly dirty, large cobwebs around windows and some carpeted areas were worn and in need of a deep clean."

The report added: "For instance, mops were found in dirty water and not stored in line with guidance, mop heads that were black with dirt were being used, and clinical bins within the toilets were not pedal operated.”

READ MORE: BeHappy@Home told to improve in its first CQC inspection

'Residents not always treated with respect'

The report said inspectors observed residents not always being treated respectfully by staff.

It added: “We observed a person calling for help and a staff member stating to them ‘are you looking for [relative], you're not going home no one is coming to get you’.

"This was not respectful and demonstrated people were not always treated respectfully by staff.”

'The residents in the home are treated very well'

In response, care home manager Jacqui Avery-Orman told the Echo she had only been in post since July 28 and the inspection was only two weeks into her employment.

She said: “The home has undergone new changes in the cleaning and both day and night teams have a responsibility to ensure the cleaning is completed.

“A deep clean of all bedrooms and communal spaces is carried out weekly.”

She added: “The residents in the home are treated very well and they have been spoken to by the CQC and other departments including social services.

"None of these reports have come back with any concerns from the residents or their families that they are being mistreated in any way."

She added: “As I have told my staff, this report is a snapshot of our home.

"Yes on paper it hasn’t got the report that we would like but this is a baseline for the home and staff to work together to ensure this is managed and changes are being made and implemented to ensure the next visit will be better."