Care Home Told To Stop Taking In Residents

A north-east home for the disabled and elderly has been forced to halt its intake of residents after a damning inspection uncovered “significant failings” in its provision of care.

Care Commission Scotland said it took the “serious step” after its inspectors discovered Kingsmead Nursing Home near Aberdeen had not achieved the “minimum standards” in a number of key areas. Enforcement action at the Kingswells home, which houses around 65 residents, has now been taken by the Care Commission and an improvement notice has been issued.

Among the most shocking findings from the inspection is Kingsmead’s staff’s alleged failure to maintain standards of cleanliness and hygiene. Also highlighted is an apparent failure to provide arrangements to support residents with “hydration needs”.

The management is also scrutinised.

The Kingswood Drive home is operated by Mead Medical Holdings, whose offices are in Commercial House, Rubislaw Terrace, Aberdeen.

Chris Stadames, regional manager with the Care Commission, last night confirmed they were first made aware of three “serious problems” with the quality of care provided by the service in March.

A full inspection was quickly arranged where inspectors then uncovered “a series of significant problems” including failures in “acceptable hydration” as well as poor hygiene and infection control standards and overall poor management.

Mr Stadames added that one complaint related to a resident who was referred to Kingsmead by Aberdeenshire Council, and said the authority was informed under protection of vulnerable adults procedures.

He said the Care Commission has since kept a presence at Kingsmead to “monitor the care provided” and to help the service achieve improvements.

He added: “Our overriding priority is always the safety of those using a care service. Due to the serious nature of the problems, we immediately issued an improvement notice and began proceedings to prevent further residents being admitted until improvements were made.

“We also maintained a regular presence in the home to monitor the care provided to the residents and to help the service work towards those improvements.”

An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: “We are working together with the city council to assist the care commission in its inquiries.”