“Potentially contaminated” laundry was stored in the same place as clean linen in a Dundee care home where six people and one nurse died of coronavirus.
A damning inspection into Pitkerro Care Centre in Dundee said clean sheets were left in the same place as dirty laundry waiting to be washed.
The home was clean in most areas, but inspectors found used PPE was not being disposed of properly and both staff and the care home manager were “unaware” of how to safely get rid of used protective clothing.
The Care Inspectorate report followed an unannounced visit made on June 24 and branded the Hudson Healthcare site “weak” in the infection control evaluation – the second worst rating available.
It said: “Staff told us there was a good supply of PPE which helped them to minimise the spread of infection.
“We found several general bins to contain PPE. The staff and manager were unaware of how PPE should be disposed of safely. There was a lack of clinical bins throughout the home. Clinical bins must be clearly identifiable to ensure waste is disposed of effectively.
“Potentially contaminated laundry was passed down to the laundry via a chute however clean linen was also stored in this area.
“Clean linen must be removed from this area to minimise the spread of infection.”
It comes after one nurse and six residents died of coronavirus at the 70-bed home in April, before the operator stopped publicising the number of deaths. Three of the cases had positive coronavirus tests, with others suspected.
Concerns were raised at the time about a lack of PPE and training for carers but the report said staff had been adequately trained, despite the hygiene errors.
“People should have confidence in staff because they are trained, competent and skilled,” the report said.
“We spoke to staff during our visit and they told us that they had received training in infection control, covid-19 and the safe and effective use of personal protective equipment.”
The report also praised the home for ensuring regular contact between residents and their families through phone and video calls.
“Adequate” evaluations were given for supporting health and wellbeing and the ability to respond to changing needs.
Inspectors gave managers a list of improvements, including proper PPE disposal and ensuring people are “protected from avoidable harm” from potentially contaminated
laundry coming into contact with clean.
Jennifer Wishart, operations support at Hudson Healthcare, praised Pitkerro staff for the positives in the report and said “several measures” have already been taken to address concerns.
“We were pleased by many of the findings,” she said.
“Of course, the inspection found room for us to improve and we have already taken several measures to meet the new requirements.
“We welcome the input and have always worked closely with the Care Inspectorate and our other stakeholders as we strive for improvement.
“Throughout the crisis, formal guidance to care homes relating to Covid-19 from the Care Inspectorate and Public Health has been constantly changing. The frequent changes have often caused some confusion, and this is one of the challenges facing the care industry.
“In line with new guidance, we have since changed our process where PPE will now be disposed of in yellow bin bags, highlighting the hazardous contents for safer handling.
“Over the past few months, we have worked closely with staff, relatives and authorities to ensure we are providing the best possible care. Continuous dialogue is essential, and we look forward to the opportunities to continue improving our service.”
