Residents at a Dundee care home were left at “higher risk of infection” due to “visibly dirty” areas, inspectors have found.
The Care Inspectorate says there was also “improper use and disposal” of PPE and “incomplete cleaning schedules” during an unannounced visit to Ballumbie Court.
There were also “significant concerns” about reference checks on staff working at the home which, inspectors said, could pose risks to residents.
A report on the inspection rated the Ballumbie Road care home ‘weak’ in two of the five areas examined.
Cleanliness at Ballumbie Court ‘must be improved’
During the April inspection, officials found inconsistencies in the cleanliness throughout the home, with some areas “clean, tidy and well maintained” and others “visibly dirty”.
The report said: “We found inconsistent infection prevention control (IPC) procedures such as improper use and disposal of PPE, infrequent handwashing and incomplete cleaning schedules which had not been identified by the audit system.
“This inconsistency in cleanliness in different areas of the home led to a higher risk of infection for people.
“This must be monitored effectively and improved to keep people safe.”
The inspection also flagged concerns over the recruitment practice at the home, namely the quality of character references that were being provided.
The report said: “We identified significant concerns with reference checks not being carried out in line with best practice.
“For example, some character references that had been accepted by the provider were from family members and second line checks made in the service had not identified this as an issue either.”
Character references ‘should not be from relatives’
The report added: “Company policy clearly stated that character references should not be from people related to them by birth or marriage.
“Discrepancies with employment and education references had also not been identified during the recruitment process or by second line checks.
“This practice poses potential risks to people as the provider and service cannot be sure of the quality of these reference.”
A spokesperson for Ballumbie Court said: “The health and wellbeing of our residents remains our top priority, and we take all feedback from the regulator extremely seriously.
“Since the Care Inspectorate’s visit to our home earlier this year, we have made very significant changes in line with our robust action plan, and have received positive feedback from the Care Inspectorate on our progress.
“As a result, we are no longer graded ‘weak’ in any areas.”
Ballumbie Court ‘committed to continuing progress’
The spokesperson added: “We have undertaken a comprehensive review of our record keeping processes and introduced new care record planning processes designed in partnership with each of our residents.
“Our home has also benefited from a significant refurbishment and upgrade to the rooms and furnishings, meaning everyone in our home can enjoy an enhanced comfortable, modern living environment.
“We were pleased to read praise of our kind care team throughout the CI’s report, and are grateful to them for their hard work.
“We remain committed to continuing our progress, and embedding further positive changes over the long term to ensure that everyone in our home has the best possible experience.”
Conversation