Daily Record

New outbreak at dirty crisis care home

Families ‘lose confidence’ after five positive tests

- BY ANNIE BROWN a.brown@dailyrecor­d.co.uk

Residents have to stay in the rooms. They are scared

RELATIVE OF RESIDENT IN AFFECTED CARE HOME

A CARE home where 22 people died from Covid-19 has been hit with a new outbreak of the virus.

Five people tested positive for Coronaviru­s last week at Fullarton care home in Irvine, including two members of staff.

At the height of the pandemic in May, watchdogs found the home was dirty with poor infection control and not all staff had been trained in the use of PPE.

When the Care Inspectora­te revisited on July 6, the home had improved but a relative of one resident said the new outbreak was “horrifying”.

The relative, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The threat of the virus was mishandled from the beginning. That there are new cases is horrifying, given the large death toll already suffered. We have lost all confidence in the home.”

In May, the Care Inspectora­te issued a “letter of serious concern” to the home after “staff were observed not to understand, or be following, Public Health Guidance around the control of infection”.

During the visit to the service on May 16, inspectors were concerned that “the poor standard of cleanlines­s of the home was not protecting the health, welfare and safety needs of people using the service”.

At least 10 relatives had died at the home by that point with fatalities doubling by June.

Inspectors had to order a deep clean of the home in May despite assurances from the owners HC-One that they had “enhanced cleaning regimes in all care homes” from early in the pandemic.

In early July, inspectors concluded the home had taken appropriat­e steps to address the requiremen­ts identified in the letter of serious concern.

Another relative said families had been assured the home would be erecting a marquee structure in the grounds to allow visits but the new outbreak means even outdoor visits are forbidden.

The relative said: “Our grandparen­t has dementia and not being able to see them under these frightenin­g circumstan­ces is horrible. We feel the mismanagem­ent of the pandemic in the home at the beginning has made us all feel vulnerable and these new cases are frightenin­g. Residents are now having to stay in the rooms and they are scared and lonely.”

A spokeswoma­n for the home confirmed three residents and two staff had been found to be positive for Covid-19 during routine testing of the home.

She said: “We are taking all the necessary precaution­s to minimise the risk of transmissi­on to other colleagues and residents and we are continuing to implement our robust infection control measures across the home.

“There were no further confirmed cases. We are, however, remaining vigilant and carefully monitoring the situation.”

There are five residents in HC-One’s Scottish homes which have suspected or confirmed Covid-19.

The chain, which has 56 homes in Scotland, has had 1184 suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19 to date and 227 residents have died in its homes with the virus.

 ??  ?? WHAT’S THE PINT? The First Minister asked if regular visits to the pub are necessary. Pic: SNS Group
WHAT’S THE PINT? The First Minister asked if regular visits to the pub are necessary. Pic: SNS Group
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UNDER FIRE Facility

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