Concerns about cleanliness at Dundee’s Carmichael House care home have been raised after dirty and broken equipment was discovered.
The care home, which is located on Dudhope Road, was given a “weak” score of two out of six for wellbeing in a report published by the Care Inspectorate.
According to the report, inspectors found dirty and damaged equipment — such as shower chairs and commodes — which “had not been cleaned for some time” at the care facility.
They discovered toiletries being stored on cisterns and next to toilets, as well as clinical waste and PPE which had not been stored and disposed of properly.
Care inspectorate warn lack of hygiene could be dangerous
The Care Inspectorate claims these failings could lead to residents becoming ill.
Its report, which was written after an unannounced visit last month, states: “Standards of cleanliness must be improved.
“Cleaning schedules were not completed on a daily basis and on both days of the inspection there was no domestic on duty due to illness.
“We could not be confident that daily cleaning was taking place.
“Cleaning practices did not follow guidance – reusable cloths and spray bottles were being used.
“We found several items of equipment such as commodes and shower chairs that
were damaged and dirty and had not been cleaned for some time.
“These practices put people at risk of infection.”
Cleaning duties ‘should be done daily’
In the other fields assessed by inspectors — leadership, staff, setting and care and support — Carmichael House scored “adequate” threes across the board.
Inspectors pointed out flaws in the running of the care home, saying that care plans for individual residents needed more personalisation and should be completed biannually instead of annually.
While staffing levels were appropriate to meet the care needs of people living in Carmichael House, we found that there was not always domestic or housekeeping staff on duty.
They also said more must be done to ensure that cleaning routines are carried out daily after discovering that housekeeping staff were not on duty every day.
The report states: “While staffing levels were appropriate to meet the care needs of people living in Carmichael House, we found that there was not always domestic or housekeeping staff on duty.
“This had a detrimental impact on the standards of cleanliness in the home.
“On days without housekeeping staff we could see that cleaning schedules were not always completed and we could not be confident that daily cleaning tasks were being undertaken.”
Carmichael House staff ‘amazing’ despite concerns
Despite the issues detailed in the report, the Care Inspectorate found that both residents and their families had a positive opinion of Carmichael House.
One family member said: “My mum is content and happy.”
Another said: “‘Staff were amazing and explained everything when she was
unwell.”
The inspectors also noted the good work of staff, writing: “Staff supported people to stay connected to their community and loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We saw that staff worked well together and observed warm and compassionate interactions between staff and residents.
“Staff were attentive, patient and understanding.”
The care home’s manager was praised too, with staff highlighting supportiveness.
Carmichael House owners Kennedy Care Group have been contacted for comment.
