Bosses 'deeply sorry' after soiled mattresses found at care home

A Renfrewshire nursing home has been handed a scathing report after inspectors found soiled mattresses, stained furniture and “poor” dining arrangements.

Ailsa Lodge Care Home in Bishopton, run by McKenzie Care Ltd, has been slapped with a “weak” grading for its care and support following its latest check-up after inspectors had deemed it to be of an “adequate” standard this time last year.

Bosses said they were “deeply sorry” for their failings but working to make improvements.

The Care Inspectorate (CI) said systems to ensure residents received the right food and fluids were “not satisfactory” and people were being put at risk of dehydration and malnutrition.

Meanwhile, the watchdog said it had concerns people at risk of weight loss were not receiving the correct support at mealtimes.

And while most areas of the home were clean, there were some issues with the home’s infection prevention and control practices as inspectors unearthed stained armchair cushions, dusty wardrobes and some dirty mattresses.

The report said: “Systems to ensure people receive adequate food and fluids were not satisfactory and needed to improve. This poor standard of assessment created a potential risk to people being dehydrated and malnourished.

“The dining experience was poor. Tables were not set and there was little positive interaction between people and staff to encourage people to eat.

“We had concerns people who were at risk from weight loss did not receive sufficient assistance to eat their meal.

“Most areas of the home were clean and fresh. Cleaning schedules were in place.

“Greater attention to detail could be made with mattress checks as we found some were soiled. We could not be assured steps were in place to prevent the risk of infection.

“The underside of small occasional and bedside tables were stained. Some armchair seat cushions were also marked. The tops of wardrobes and door frames were dusty.

“Further work was required to ensure the detail of environmental cleanliness checks.”

CI staff also felt clean clothing was at “high risk” of cross-contamination due to the small size of the laundry service.

The report said the right temperatures were not being used to decontaminate soiled laundry and staff did not always follow best practice guidance for personal protective equipment (PPE).

Staffing arrangements were regarded as “adequate”.

A spokesman for McKenzie Care said: “Our aim is always to provide the best possible care to those we support and we are deeply sorry we have failed to live up to the high standards our residents deserve.

“We have developed a thorough management action plan to address all suggested areas for improvement and we have been working closely with Renfrewshire Council, our staff and the CI to implement this.

“Under the guidance of a new senior management team, we have introduced a new person-centred quality assurance system to ensure staff are aware of and are following correct procedures.

“We have reviewed the way we identify and monitor the care that is required and have provided additional training to ensure the safety of our staff and residents is maintained at all times.

“We regularly review our staffing levels and we are updating our residents’ care plans to ensure everyone we support receives the high-quality care they need.

“This includes introducing additional activities tailored to people’s individual interests and we are currently recruiting additional staff to join our activities team.”

Reporting by Local Democracy Reporter Steph Brawn