Care home berated for restrictions on disabled residents

Disabled residents at a rural Perthshire care facility had their fridges locked and were improperly restrained, a damning inspection has revealed.

Watchdog body the Care Inspectorate said while investigating Covid-19 protocols at Corbenic Camphill Community’s care home service, residents were suffering as a result of unsanctioned physical intervention techniques being used by employees.

Located at Trochry, near Dunkeld, Corbenic provides care for up to 43 adults with learning disabilities and is part of the Camphill family, which provides “a holistic residential environment that meets the social, physical, emotional and economic needs of residents”.

Inspectors arrived without warning in mid-january to scrutinise the independent charity’s measures to keep coronavirus at bay.

Investigators published their findings and blasted the establishment’s staff response, infection control and support as “weak”, although it has not has any coronavirus cases.

However, inspectors also uncovered a plethora of problems putting residents at risk.

The reporter said: “Records demonstrated that the (physical intervention) techniques used were not always what staff and volunteers were taught. Incident reports indicated that the practice of staff and volunteers often caused or escalated people’s levels of stress and distress.

“This put people at risk of physical, emotional and psychological harm. The use of physical intervention was not agreed or reviewed by the multi-disciplinary team in line with best practice guidance.

“People were subject to unnecessary restrictions. For example, people’s fridges were locked to limit access to food and drinks.

“These measures had no formal legal or medical basis and impacted on all people living in the house.”

Language used in care plans and other records was found to be inappropriate.

“People were infantilised and records were heavily influenced by staff ’s values and opinions,” it added.

These woes were compounded by hygiene concerns, with the overall standard of cleanliness at the house was described as “poor”, “cluttered” and “unkempt”.

A prompt follow-up visit conducted virtually by inspectors put the coronavirus worries to bed and inspectors said “all areas of concern had been addressed.”

A spokesperson for Corbenic said: “Corbenic is working to thoroughly address all of the findings of the recent unannounced inspection.”