Inspectors have ordered improvements at a top north-east care home after raising concerns it could be a potential breeding ground for coronavirus.
Representatives of the Care Inspectorate found bins “obstructed by clutter” and a dusty bed which smelled of urine during a visit to Clashfarquhar House in Stonehaven.
Following the unannounced inspection last month, the regulator has graded the 21-person service as “weak”.
The five-storey home is operated by Crossreach, part of The Church of Scotland, and was marked “very good” during its last visit two years ago.
While the home has not experienced a Covid outbreak, inspectors raised “considerable concerns” regarding its ability to manage one.
The report said: “There were many areas in the environment found to have significant amounts of visible dust and debris, and cleaning of high areas appeared to have been neglected for some time.
“Protective coverings around pipes and radiators were torn and broken, resulting in ineffective cleaning and a burns risk to residents.”
Inspectors hit out at “insufficient” cleaning regimes – having found one bed smelling of urine, with a dusty frame and visible skin flakes.
The home was criticised for not having a safe system in place for disposing of clinical waste, and some staff were seen failing to properly use PPE.
While all employees had completed the necessary Covid-19 training, inspectors said there was no evidence staff were aware of current guidance or that they were being tested on their knowledge.
The Care Inspectorate imposed a March 12 deadline by which the home must meet a number of requirements.
These include a declutter and deep clean, and the creation of a cleaning schedule.
A spokeswoman for Crossreach, which owns the service, said: “We were very disappointed with the report which showed us to be falling short of our usual standards.
“We recognise there is no room for complacency and we are working hard now to address all the action points that were raised and to ensure that going forward we are following best practices.
“Many of the issues raised have already been remediated and the others are being worked on.
“Our residents deserve to receive the highest standard of care, and we were pleased that their comments said they felt valued and cared for.”
Clashfarquhar House is the latest in a number of care homes struggling to cope with Covid.
In January, investigations were launched into outbreaks at three north-east care homes, and three in the Highlands.
Brian Sloan, chief executive of Age Scotland, said: “This has been an incredibly difficult year for care homes, with older and vulnerable residents bearing much of the brunt of this deadly virus.
“We know there have been issues across Scotland with access to PPE for care workers, testing, and other infection control measures.
“Care workers have been doing a heroic job under intense pressure, but clearly many homes were unprepared for the scale of this situation.
“There are many unanswered questions about whether the care sector had the support it needed, especially in the early months of the pandemic.
“This shouldn’t be about pointing fingers or assigning blame but learning lessons for the future.
“It is concerning to hear that some care homes are still not adequately prepared to manage a Covid outbreak.
“Although the roll-out of the vaccine means there is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is still no room for complacency.
“Older residents remain at high risk, and it is absolutely essential that care providers have appropriate measures in place to protect their health.”
