A Moray care home was called “visibly dirty and cluttered” in a damning inspection report that assessed their Covid capabilities.
Lythe Care Home in Lintmill, near Cullen, was rated as “unsatisfactory” the lowest grading possible.
The Care Inspectorate produced a scathing report about the standard of care at the premises during the Covid pandemic.
Inspectors made an unannounced visit to Lythe on February 4, after which they issued the care home owners 2MAJIK LTD a letter of concern.
They returned four days later to find that insufficient progress had been made and an improvement notice was issued.
It is understood the care home will be closing down permanently in May, with all residents transferred to other facilities in Aberdeenshire and Moray.
‘Visibly dirty and cluttered’
On their initial visit, inspectors found that much of Lythe home was “visibly dirty and cluttered” with broken and worn equipment.
“This meant that it was difficult to clean and posed a risk of infection where it was not possible to disinfect it.”
Commodes and cushions were found to be “contaminated with body fluids, equipment that was stained and rusty, and sealant around sinks that had failed, leaving areas that were difficult to clean.”
When revisited by inspectors, “a deep clean and declutter had taken in communal areas and corridors, but the laundry, one sluice, and most of the bedrooms still need to be cleaned.”
There was also no evidence to show how often areas were getting cleaned as no records were kept.
‘The home had not been adequately clean for some time’
Staff received only training by observation, with no specific training for deep cleaning potentially infected areas.
“This meant the home had not been adequately cleaned for some time, which added to the risk of infection.”
Staff was also not made aware of risks posed by cleaning chemicals and the need to ventilate areas where they were being used to reduce the risk from fumes.
“This meant that staff and residents were at risk of lung and breathing problems.”
PPE was left on tables in corridors, which left them open to cross-contamination.
When made aware, the manager did buy suitable storage units and put them in place.
Clinical waste bins were found to be overflowing due to a lack of them and broken ones.
This compromised “the control of infection.”
Inspectors advised the manager that this had to be addressed immediately, so additional bins were purchased but not enough.
‘Unsatisfactory’
Lythe received unsatisfactory reviews for all three categories:
- People’s health and well being are supported and safeguarded during
the Covid-19 pandemic - Infection control practices support a safe environment for people
experiencing care and staff - Staffing arrangements are responsive to the changing needs of people
experiencing care
Staff were found to be “kind and caring” and “well-meaning” but the demands on their time meant that care was routine, “task-led, and not person-centered.
“As a result, people did not always get the care and support that was right for them”.
One resident told inspectors that there was nothing to do to pass the time, their day is broken up by “happenings” such as mealtimes and trips to the toilet.
‘Increased risk of choking’
The safety and wellbeing of residents was also a big concern for inspectors, as falls were not reviewed so “actions were not always taken to prevent a reoccurrence.”
Staff was said to have a “poor understanding” of diets and fluids that some people were prescribed.
“This put them at increased risk of choking, due to receiving the wrong textured diet or fluid.”
One resident had been left in “increased levels of pain and discomfort” after not receiving pain medication when it was needed.
This is due to the management of pain relief medication being “not effective.”
Mark Simpson, Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s manager for north Aberdeenshire, said: “We have been working closely with families to ensure that each and every resident is moved to their new home as quickly and with the least amount of distress as possible.
“Happily we have now completed all those moves.”
A spokeswoman for Health and Social Care Moray said: “Social work have been supporting the five Moray residents of the Lythe Care Home following the decision by the home’s owners to close.
“They have been working closely with the individuals and their families to identify alternative homes that can fully meet their needs and to manage their transfer so that they can settle into their new homes as quickly as possible.”
Lythe Care Home has been asked for a comment.