Two north-east care homes branded “weak” by the regulator have been inspected again having been ordered to improve – with one now “adequate” and the other told to make further changes.
Auchtercrag in Ellon has had its mark upgraded to “adequate,” but bosses at Clashfarquhar House, Stonehaven, have been told more work is required.
Clashfarquhar House given “weak” grade
Representatives from the Care Inspectorate visited Clashfarquhar in February to judge how well residents were being supported during the pandemic – making four requirements and pointing out two areas of improvement.
During their inspection, they saw bins “obstructed by clutter” and “many areas were “found to have significant amounts of visible dust and debris” including a bed which smelled of urine.
While all staff had completed the necessary Covid-19 training, inspectors said there was no evidence employees were aware of the current guidance.
They imposed a deadline of March 12 for a deep clean and the creation of a cleaning schedule.
But when inspectors visited again on March 22, they again graded Clashfarquar House’s level of care and support as “weak”.
They wrote: “While we saw that a great deal of work had gone into clearing of clutter and carrying out an intensive programme of cleaning and disinfecting, there were some areas in respect of health and safety that caused some concern.”
The operator, CrossReach, was told it must ensure all staff have been trained and “assessed as competent” in the inspection and cleaning of care equipment, including mattresses.
It was also told to ensure clinical waste bins are kept “secure, clean and well maintained”.
A spokesman for CrossReach said: “All previous requirements set by the Care Inspectorate have been met and we are now working on an additional new requirement, which we are on track to fulfil by the target date set by the Inspectorate.”
Auchtercrag Care Home moves from “weak” to “adequate”
The Care Inspectorate paid a second visit to Auchtercrag Care Home in Ellon on April 7, having previously graded it “weak” on March 12.
Residents were seen to have been left food out of reach, including one whose lunch was placed beside them as they slept and left to go cold.
Inspectors were concerned nutrition and hydration were not appropriately monitored, and people were “regularly” given less to drink than what was recommended.
But during the reinspection, they found improvements had been made to “supporting people with their fluid intake”.
The report added: “The increased observation of staff practice and review of the quality of people’s days had contributed to consistency in the standards of care and support and to the improvements seen to outcomes.”
A spokeswoman for Auchtercrag said: “The safety and wellbeing of our residents is our highest priority.
“We welcome the findings of the Care Inspectorate and are delighted that our approach has led to the improvements outlined in the report.
“We have also had very positive visits from the Local Health And Social Care Partnership to our care home.
“We would like to reassure the families of our residents that we remain focussed on ensuring everyone at Auchtercrag Care Home receives the highest standards of personalised, quality care and support.”
