The needs of residents at a Crieff care home were “dismissed or neglected” due to staffing pressures, inspectors have found.
The Care Inspectorate has branded Dalnaglar Nursing Home on Comrie Road “weak” in several areas after a visit in March.
Officials found that a lack of staff meant residents were not consistently treated with dignity and respect.
They found that on several occasions, staff would either miss, dismiss or neglect requests from residents due to the pressures placed on them.
The Care Inspectorate said this affected residents’ sense of self-worth and mental wellbeing.
Fears residents could become ‘dehumanised’
The inspectors also feared that if people were not consistently treated with dignity and respect, there is the potential for them to become “dehumanised”.
The pressures meant staff often focused on designated tasks and had reduced capacity to respond to additional demands.
Inspectors felt it was unclear if staff were aware of the potential negative and harmful impact of these actions.
They also felt there was a risk that this would become accepted practice within the care home, leading to a “culture of disrespect”.
During the visit, one resident told inspectors: “I would like to get out, but staff don’t have the time to take me out.”
Inspectors also found that staff had to support more than one person at mealtimes, and residents were not being offered enough to drink.
One member of staff said: “When we’re short of staff, you feel you’re not giving them the care you’d like to give them.
“Sometimes people are waiting longer than you’d like.”
Meanwhile, one relative said a resident had to “regularly wait for over 30 minutes” for support to use the toilet.
‘We’re trying our best but there is not always enough staff’
Staff confirmed that there were delays at times in people’s care needs being met.
One told inspectors: “Overall, we are trying our best, but there is not always enough staff on.”
The home – run by BCG Cares, formerly Balhousie – has been told to make a series of improvements.
A spokesperson for BCG said: “We are acutely aware this outcome is not near the level we expect for the care of our residents.
“We were grateful to see the Care Inspectorate identified a number of the important strengths in the home and, certainly, our recent five-star reviews from our residents’ families confirm how much they appreciate the care and compassion received by their loved ones.
BCG Cares responds to Care Inspectorate report at Dalnaglar
“Nevertheless, the leadership team acted immediately, and are working closely with the CI and Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership to investigate and address the concerns raised, establishing a meticulous and robust action plan to rapidly make any improvements highlighted.
“This action plan is already advancing well and on target for the deadlines set.
“We are very clear, our residents deserve nothing less than our complete commitment to their health, happiness and wellbeing.
“To that end, our operations team are in the home daily, shoulder-to-shoulder with our dedicated Dalnaglar team.
“They can expect our wholehearted support to revitalise all areas of the home; to achieve and exceed the levels we demand for our residents.”
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