A FAILURE to always meet its residents’ physical and mental needs was among the many criticisms levelled at a nursing home in Colwyn Bay following an inspection.

Eithiniog, a Leonard Cheshire-run, 42-person home for adults with physical disabilities on Old Highway, was told by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) that it found “significant, systemic failings” during its visit on July 7.

The home has received nine priority action notices, covering issues such as the storing of confidential information, staff training, and a failure to communicate with residents in a respectful manner.

In the report, staff training and supervision at Eithiniog was said to require improvement, with the home using a high number of agency staff who do not always know the residents.

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Ultimately, CIW found, residents “cannot be assured they will get the right care at the right time”, and that they “do not live in an environment which is always uplifting, clean and homely”.

On two occasions, instances of abuse had not been reported to the safeguarding team, with multiple areas of the home “in urgent need of repair and redecoration”.

Care provided by staff was also said to be “hurried and institutionalised, and did not maintain people’s dignity”.

Improvements were also required in ensuring the environment is homely, calm and people’s wishes are respected, in the reporting of safeguarding incidents, and in storing confidential information.

Residents were said to not always have control on their daily lives, and while there is an “array of opportunities” for them to engage in activities, CIW noticed instances were items such as puzzles were placed out of their reach.

CIW also found that almost all bedroom doors were left open, and repeatedly heard staff refer to residents by their room numbers, as well having loud conversations in corridors.

In particular, one staff member was heard discussing a resident’s health condition in a corridor so that “everyone could hear”.

Previously, three people have complained about staff congregating in corridors and the noise level.

On many occasions, the report added, the environment in the home’s main building was “chaotic” and “noisy”.

The inspectorate also noticed one resident displaying signs of distress, but found staff to not be proactive in offering them reassurance and diversion therapy.

Elsewhere, in the home’s activities room, no staff were present for a 15-minute period, despite there being a number of residents at risk of choking.

When staff were in this room, interaction between themselves and residents was limited, other than when a task was to be completed with them.

Not all staff at the home have received training in safeguarding, infection prevention and control, or health and safety, meanwhile.

Many residents’ confidential care records were left in communal areas, with wheelchairs and lifting equipment left in corridors and bathrooms.

Oxygen cylinders were “not stored safely”, with no signage to advise these were stored in a cupboard. 

Meanwhile, staff had recorded on a napkin who had been washed and who had eaten breakfast, and one resident’s bowel tracker list was left on a trolley in the main corridor.

A bedroom at the home was said to require “urgent attention” due to posing a safety hazard, with four carrying an “unpleasant odour”.

On a more positive note, the report found that the home provides a “good menu choice”, with residents stating that they enjoyed the food offered to them.

In response to the report, a spokesperson for Leonard Cheshire said: “The wellbeing of people living in our services is always our priority.

“We recognise improvements are needed at Eithinog and are implementing an action plan to address the Care Inspectorate’s concerns, with immediate steps being taken to address priority issues.

“Additional targeted training is being put in place. Increased oversight and support is also being provided by our senior management and quality teams.

“We are working closely with the Care Inspectorate, as well as the local authority, on delivery of improvements.

“Families and residents are being updated as we seek to offer the best possible care at Eithinog.”