Care home building ‘below the standard’

Inspection: Criticism despite much praise for quality of care

Inspectors have slammed the condition of a council-owned building in Peterhead used as a care home for adults with learning disabilities.

The Care Inspectorate carried out an unannounced inspection of the Duncan Crescent home in January and found windows that were not watertight, damp patches from previous leaks, uneven flooring and kitchen surfaces that “would not meet infection control standards”.

The small two-storey care home has been run by Inspire (Partnership Through Life) Ltd since it opened in 2002, providing 24-hour support for four adults with learning disabilities.

The service received glowing praise for the quality of care offered, with its efforts to support residents’ wellbeing and for how care is planned each ranked “very good”.

But the building, which is owned by Aberdeenshire Council, only scraped an “adequate” rating – which means strengths only just outweighed weaknesses – thanks in large part to Inspire’s creation of an excellent dining area that encourages socialisation and residents’ own efforts to decorate their rooms to “reflect their personalities”.

The report reads: “The general condition of the building was below the standard we would expect.

“Some windows were not watertight and there were damp patches on the ceiling from previous leaks.

“Flooring in the kitchen and at the exit to the rear of the building were uneven and presented as a trip hazard.

“Kitchen work surfaces were chipped in places and would not meet infection control standards and while the premises were clean, there was general clutter throughout the house.”

Head of property for Aberdeenshire Council, Allan Whyte, said:

“Unfortunately we have a number of older properties and we are actively looking, with our Inspire partners, at what we do with the Duncan Crescent property in the future.”

George McCulloch, Inspire’s director of operations, said: “We would acknowledge that there are ongoing issues with the building and environment at Duncan Crescent and continue to work closely with our landlord, Aberdeenshire Council, to address these issues and find a long-term solution.”

“We would acknowledge that there are ongoing issues”

HOME IMPROVEMENTS: The council-owned building was described as ‘adequate’, meaning its strengths only just outweigh weaknesses