Care home residents were left to eat with their fingers

ELDERLY residents at a scandal-hit care home were left to eat stew with their fingers, a damning report has revealed.

A watchdog uncovered the practice among a catalogue of major problems at the Elsie Inglis centre in Edinburgh last month – but only published its detailed findings last night.

Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) gave the home the worst possible grades – four “unsatisfactories” – and last week told the business it had until today to clean up its act or face closure.

As revealed by The Herald, Elsie Inglis is now at the centre of a police investigation into the circumstances of the death of a 59-year-old resident with Down’s syndrome last week.

But inspectors last month had already discovered serious problems with the care of residents, including basic communication and elementary hygiene.

The SCSWIS team, which visited Elsie Inglis on April 20, found residents eating from chipped tableware “not fit for use”, some using their fingers.

Inspectors recorded food waste all over the facility, its equipment and furnishings.

Staff were seen carrying soiled, loose bedclothes and then serving food to residents without washing their hands.

Some residents were found to be sleeping on stained and torn mattresses.

Others – including Ann Moncur, who nearly died after fatal symptoms went unnoticed – had not had their teeth brushed.

There were 20 outbreaks of infection at the home, affecting 72 residents in the course of 2010. Elsie Inglis has just 69 beds. Inspectors also criticised staff – many of whom are understood to be from Africa – for failing to interact with residents.

SCSWIS workers also highlighted poor understanding of how to avoid horrifying painful pressure and bed sores.

Some reports have suggested the woman who died last week, Lynn Beveridge, suffered from such sores. However, The Herald understands Ms Beveridge had respiratory problems and sources fear she may have inhaled food.

The findings of a post-mortem examination carried out yesterday have not yet been revealed.

Miss Beveridge died last Wednesday, two days after being taken from the home. This was after experts from City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian had started supporting work at the home.

SCSWIS showed early drafts of its inspection report to the firm that owns Elsie Inglis, Peacock Medicare. That prompted the resignation of the manager of the home, Jim Healy.

Peacock has insisted it is now co-operating with investigations and trying to meet the requirements of a compulsory improvement notice filed on May 20. It has until today to do so.

If it fails, SCSWIS will apply to a sheriff to have the home, which is based at the former Edinburgh maternity hospital of the same name, stripped of its licence.

A Peacock spokesman said: “The home continues to operate and the owners, management and staff are working to ensure the home is achieving the standard of care required.”