Care home slammed for being “dirty”

A CARE home for elderly and disabled young people was blasted for being “dirty” and “unacceptable” to live in.

That was the damning verdict of Care Commission inspectors who visited Sefton Park Nursing Home in Larkhall’s Carlisle Road on November 4.

The home provides nursing and social care to a maximum of 37 people.

The Commission use a six-point grading scale from excellent, very good, good, adequate, weak to unsatisfactory.

In a 41-page report, they said that the home’s environment was simply “unacceptable for people using the service to live in”.

The inspectors described the unit’s smoking room and areas within the YPD unit walls as “dirty”.

Some areas of the home, they continued, were worn and in need of refurbishment.

The inspection concluded that there were areas in which those running the home could do better, such as remedying leaking ceilings and making windows wind and watertight.

Some areas were not of a satisfactory standard relating to cleanliness and structure.

The window within the activities room was unable to be closed during the inspection.

Some other areas were in an unsatisfactory condition including:

A communal toilet had not been secured to the floor sufficiently

A cracked mirror in one of the bathrooms was held together by tape

Water damage to one bedroom radiator cover

Many fixtures and fittings were in a bad state of repair.

The home operates as two separate units; one provides care to 15 older people and the other purpose-built extension provides care to 22 younger physically disabled people (YPD) who have wide range of care needs.

The YPD unit has 22 single en-suite bedrooms, two bathrooms and one day/dining room with tea-making facilities.

Carers of people using the service said they found it difficult to use the ramp at the front entrance.

Part of this had worn away and that made it very difficult for wheelchairs to be pushed from road level onto the ramp.

Fire doors leading from the main elderly lounge area to the back corridor were damaged and did not close securely.

Beth Lynagh, Lead Care Commission Officer, in her conclusion of her report said: “There are still a number of significant concerns noted during the inspection relating to the environment.”

The Care Commission, set up in 2002 to regulate and improve care services in Scotland, are no longer responsible for fire issues and their concerns are passed on to the fire and rescue.

Sefton Park scored good in four of the five categories including quality of care and support, quality of staffing and quality of management and leadership.

The report said that the new manager had continued to develop day-to-day running of the service, and care provided to the residents was of good standard.

Tracy McDonald, area manager of Southern Cross Healthcare said: “We are fully aware that the condition of the older, original building at Sefton Park Care Home requires attention and a project team has been established to review the options available.

“The safety and wellbeing of our residents is our number one priority and, while the rooms affected are not in use, we are continuing to ensure these environmental issues do not impact on the care they receive. Our most recent Care Commission report shows we are still achieving ‘good’ standards of quality of care, staffing and management, which is of upmost importance.

“Southern Cross Healthcare have invested a significant amount in the upgrading of Sefton Park Care Home over the past three years, including the design and construction of a purpose-built facility for younger people. “The environmental issues highlighted in the November inspection report concern issues within the older, original building only.

“The project team continue to work closely with the Care Commission to address the immediate issues and establish the best way forward.”