An Aberdeen care home has been rated “weak” after residents were left out in the sun and waiting to be taken to the bathroom.
Cranford Care Home, located in the Broomhill area of Aberdeen with a capacity of 39 residents, was subject to inspection by the Care Inspectorate in June.
Inspectors noted several positives, including the “homely environment” provided at the facility, however, there were also some areas of concern.
The care home was graded “weak” due to staff shortages and the high turnover of temporary staff.
Residents were left alone for long periods, concerning inspectors who noted the staff were often very busy with other tasks.
The report read: “People were asking to use the bathroom, but they had to wait for long periods of time.
“Someone else was waiting for a significant period of time to be taken inside out of the sun. This caused people distress.
“One family member stated, “It’s unacceptable, it’s a basic need to go to the toilet.”
‘Never any extra time to just chat to residents’
Inspectors also observed residents being left alone during dinner where there was a “high risk of choking”.
The report added: “We could not be confident people’s safety and wellbeing were being maintained.”
Residents also noted the high turnover of staff, with one saying: “There’s always new faces”, however, praise was given to long-term staff by care home residents.
Not only did residents voice their concerns over staffing, but the staff themselves noted the lack of consistency.
The report read: “Some staff shared these concerns with us; ‘there’s never enough staff, it’s the residents that suffer as they have to wait’ and ‘there’s never any extra time to just chat to residents.”
Inspectors urged the care provider to recruit more long-term staff to allow residents to form good relationships with the staff.
While there were concerns for inspectors, areas such as the personalised bedrooms and quality of meals were positively highlighted.
Residents also benefited from several groups that allowed them to dabble in their passion, including gardening, musical entertainment and even cheese and wine.
The Care Inspectorate set out several requirements for Cranford Care Home to meet by mid-September to ensure their residents are well-maintained at all times.
A spokesman for Cranford Care Home said: “We take all feedback seriously. Working closely with the Care Inspectorate our action plan will continue to be implemented and we are confident that the home will maintain sustainable improvements.”
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