TWO care homes have been rapped by a health watchdog for the second time in six months.

White Ash Brook in Oswaldtwistle, and Addison Court in Accrington, were both told make improvements to the management of residents’ medication last summer, but inspectors said they were still failing to meet the required standard.

The Care Quality Commission has now taken enforcement action at White Ash Brook, on Thwaites Road, which is reserved for serious or repeated breaches. This can include the restriction or suspension of services, but is open to challenge by the home and further details have yet to be announced.

The CQC said concerns over the recording, stock control and staff training around medicines had not been addressed, despite an action plan being drawn up after the previous inspection.

It added: “We found that people continued to be at risk of missing doses of medication because sufficient stocks were not maintained to allow continuity of treatment. The manager had notified us of recent incidents where several people had missed doses of medication.

“Appropriate action had been taken once this was identified, but the home's policy for ordering medicines had not been adhered to.”

The home met the three other essential standards examined.

Mimosa Healthcare, which runs the home, said: “We are working hard to ensure our procedures with regards to the management of medicines are further improved and any concerns are addressed.

“The home has recently appointed a new manager and, with the regulator, is working hard to ensure improvements are implemented quickly.”

Addison Court, in Addison Street, has again been told to take action over its management of medicines, although the CQC acknowledged there had been some improvements.

A spokesman for the home said: “A thorough action plan is in place to address the one issue outstanding and to drive sustained improvements in this area. We are confident that progress has been made and that our actions will satisfy the CQC and the home will be fully complaint very shortly.”