AN Irvine care home operator “regrets” that its standards have fallen below “what is required”.

Care inspectors found “mouldy shower rooms”, “a staff member touching a resident after handling dirty linen”, “bodily fluids entering damaged mattresses”, “a disconnected manager” and residents’ health and dignity not being prioritised.

A February 22 inspection saw Castlepark Road’s Cumbrae Lodge Care Home, which is run by private operator Four Seasons Health Care, reveal various “weak” ratings. In evaluating quality, the Care Inspectorate use a six point scale where 1 is unsatisfactory and 6 is excellent.

The local care home scored a “2” in supporting elderly residents’ wellbeing, leadership, and support and care during the Covid pandemic.

The report said: “We had concerns about resident’s rights, health and dignity not being sufficiently protected and prioritised.

“This included damaged and mouldy flooring in shower rooms which we had already highlighted at our previous inspection.

“With very few exceptions, staff told us that they did not experience clear, positive and supportive leadership. Morale throughout the staff team was low. Many staff members felt that this had a negative impact on resident’s outcomes.

“We were concerned that many of the staff we spoke to thought that managers did not listen to their worries or opinions. The manager appeared disconnected from staff and not sufficiently visible within the home.”

“We were concerned by seeing some staff members not wearing correct PPE.

“On one occasion, a staff member touched a resident after handling dirty linen without PPE and without washing their hands. This would have caused a significant risk of infection.

“We checked five mattresses and specialist mattresses for preventing pressure wounds. We found that four of these mattresses had damaged covers that had allowed bodily fluids to enter the inside of the mattress.

“The clean housekeeping trolley, as well as brushes and cleaning products were stored in the sluice. The sluice is a facility for disposing bodily waste and temporarily storing dirty laundry.”

A Four Seasons Healthcare spokesperson said “We regret that Cumbrae Lodge has fallen below the standards required by the Care Inspectorate and have implemented a robust action plan to address the issues raised. We are pleased that the inspectors acknowledged our team members for their positive relationships with residents and their kind, skilled and respectful manner.

“We do recognise that other areas needed to be improved and the safety and wellbeing of residents and colleagues in our homes remain our first priority.”