Reprimanded care home is blasted for its lack of hygiene

A CARE home in Benderloch has been blasted for its lack of hygiene and the way it treated one of its patients.

Allan McMillan removed his friend from the Lynn of Lorne Care Home saying he was ‘lucky if he was getting showered once a week’.

Last month The Oban Times reported that the care home was issued with a formal warning by the Care Inspectorate.

One of the more serious issues the inspectorate highlighted was a lack of hot water. The report said baths and showers were ‘rarely used’ in the home which houses 62 elderly people.

The report went on: ‘This leaves residents more susceptible to skin problems and infections, and does not promote the dignity of the residents.’

Mr McMillan, who has power of attorney for his friend, removed him from the facility because he had concerns regarding his health.

‘The home stinks of urine,’ he said. ‘He tells me he was only showered once a week.

‘It was costing nearly £5,000 per month and that was for a lack of care. I complained about the smell coming off him and they said he was being bathed but he was not. You were lucky if he was getting showered once a week.

‘When he rang his buzzer, it was 10 to 15 minutes before someone would come near him.’

Mr McMillan said his friend had been suffering with a leg wound since he entered the home.

‘He had been in the home since September of last year, but the wound had not healed at all. He has been home with us for eight weeks – we measured it at 36 millimetres and it is now at eight millimetres.’

Mr McMillan said that since moving his friend has been receiving regular showers, adding: ‘And because of this his health has improved 100 per cent. His mobility is brilliant now and the wound has reduced. It’s unbelievable.’ When asked what could be done to improve the facility, Mr McMillan said: ‘Shut it down and start again. If you are paying £5,000 a month for someone you care about to be taken care of, you expect them to be taken care of, not abused in that way.’

Contacted by The Oban Times, a spokesman for McKenzie Care Homes said: ‘McKenzie Care Homes would like to apologise for the concern and distress the recent Care Inspectorate findings may have caused and we have already begun to take action to return the home to a place where everyone can feel safe, relaxed and receive the care and support they deserve.

‘We have developed a robust action plan to show how we plan to improve the service generally and improve the outcomes for each person living in Lynn of Lorne Care Home.

‘We have recently recruited a new manager for the service and strongly feel that this will be a positive appointment.’

Kieron Green, Argyll and Bute Council lead for health and social care, said: ‘I know that health and social care staff have been working hard with MacKenzie Care to improve the quality of care provided in the Lynn of Lorne and I hope that this can deliver long-lasting improvements.’

Counillor Roddy McCuish added: ‘Despite the report from the Care Inspectorate, I am more than confident that the plans they have in place are robust and will see an improved delivery of this very important service.’