Inspectors have 'significant concerns' over Falkirk care home

A Falkirk care home was found to have ‘significant concerns’ in areas including cleanliness, infection prevention and access to PPE.

The failings were noted by the Care Inspectorate during a visit to Newcarron Court Residential and Nursing Care Home on June 4 – although they also highlighted the “kind and compassionate interaction” between staff and residents.

The home in New Carron, which is registered to provide care to 116 older people, is run by Advinia Care Homes Limited.

The report stated: “We carried out an inspection on June 4, 2020 with Healthcare Improvement Scotland and the health and social care partnership infection prevention nurse.

“We met with the new manager who had been in post for approximately six weeks.

“They engaged positively with us throughout the inspection and took immediate action in terms of addressing some of the concerns raised at the time of inspection.

“We observed kind and compassionate interactions between staff and people who live in the home.”

The inspectors went on to identify “significant concerns about the cleanliness of environment internally and externally, infection prevention and control practices, access to and management of PPE, and management of contaminated waste”.

They issued a serious concerns letter with six requirements for the service to meet and promised to work with the Health and Social Care Partnership to oversee the improvements.

A spokesperson for Advinia said: “The safety and wellbeing of our residents continues to remain our highest priority at all times.

“Our dedicated colleagues have worked tirelessly throughout this pandemic to provide the best care for our residents, in incredibly challenging circumstances, and we were pleased that the Care Inspectorate observed kind and compassionate care being provided during their inspection.

“Advinia, and the new home manager, co-operated fully with the Care Inspectorate in their inspection and we are pleased that in their subsequent inspection on June 9, they recognised that we had already made the necessary short-term improvements to operational practices at the home, including ensuring the correct usage of PPE, identified in a small number of isolated incidents and that all requirements had been met.

“We are also working closely with Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership and NHS Forth Valley to support the home as we develop a detailed action plan to make sustained further improvements in the interests of all residents.”

Patricia Cassidy, Chief Officer, Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “We have in place a co-ordinated and robust plan of support for care homes across the Falkirk Council area during the pandemic.

“The HSCP is in daily contact with all care homes across the local area to identify any emerging issues or concerns and is working closely with Public Health and senior colleagues in NHS Forth Valley to provide ongoing support.

“We also carry out regular visits and provide updates on all guidance as well as direct support with staff training, PPE and infection control to address any immediate issues.”

The new report was the first that must be made by law to the Scottish Parliament every two weeks, giving details of care home inspections and their outcomes.

The focus of these is on infection prevention and control and PPE and staffing.

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