Improvements are made at Deanfield after inspection

STEPS to improve the service provided by Deanfield nursing home have been taken after an inspection found staff were ‘run off their feet’.

Although the report compiled by Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland rated the quality of staffing at the 35-bed home as good, it has been revealed that after a two-day inspection at the beginning of May, officials discovered a small number of medication errors.

Worried about care and support at the Scottish Borders Council-run centre, Inspector Sandra Thompson said: “We spoke with residents and relatives who told us that staff were ‘run off their feet’ and the home was ‘short staffed’. Residents stated that staff did not have enough time to talk to them.”

And regarding medication issues, the inspector revealed that although the manager had put in a number of systems to elminate mistakes with drugs, “there had been three recent occasions where serious drug errors had occurred and advice from the residents’ GP needed to be sought.”

SBC’s head of social care and health, Elaine Torrance, said a “small number of medication errors” were highlighted in the report which the home had already acted upon.

She commented: “In addition, there was a view that some staff were under pressure when delivering care. These issues were reflected in the gradings awarded for the home. The inspection report noted ‘staff spoken with were highly motivated in their work and committed to providing a high standard of care’, and were ‘seen to have developed good relationships with residents and interacted with them in a warm and friendly manner’.”

She added: “An action plan has been developed and a number of immediate steps taken to rectify these matters to ensure that all people using the service continue to receive a high quality of care which is appreciated by those using the service and their carers.”