Bute House: Cumnock care home negative inspection report

The Care Inspectorate had branded the standard of support for the wellbeing of residents of Bute House as ‘weak’ and said they’d identified “strong odours of urine in some bedrooms” and a number of “significant weaknesses” in the way the home was being operated.

Management at the Barrhill Terrace facility said they'd put a "voluntary moratorium" on accepting any more occupants while they worked on improvements demanded by the watchdog.

And this week the Care Inspectorate revealed that the facility had met three key requirements imposed following the initial inspection.

As well as branding the home’s support for people’s wellbeing as ‘weak’, the same grading was given to the facility’s leadership, setting, and planning of care and support.

Bute House management were instructed to carry out a series of improvements. (Image: Newsquest)

The staff team was described as 'adequate'.

But in a follow-up report, published on Tuesday, the Care Inspectorate said staff had "worked hard to meet the three requirements" by a deadline of May 21.

They said: We saw that improvements had been made to ensure that people living in the service were safeguarded from harm and that their health, welfare, and safety needs were being more effectively managed.

"Measures were in place to ensure that the information held was reviewed regularly to assure its accuracy.

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"We noted that record keeping had improved. There was a commitment from the management team to continue to support staff with developing their knowledge of record keeping and risk management.

"There was evidence that risk assessments and care plans had been updated following recent accidents. This ensured that staff had the relevant information to support the person and safeguard them from further risks."

Three further requirements remain outstanding, with a deadline of mid-July for compliance, but those were not assessed during the inspectors' follow-up visit on May 22.

On their initial visit the inspectors had said they were "unable to establish that deep cleaning of bedrooms and communal areas had been carried out".

They had also raised concern about recording of residents' fluid intake, about the seeking of residents' views on the service provided, and on incomplete records around falls and accidents.

The inspectors also said there were "issues with the storage of continence aids" which "does not support people's dignity or promote their independence".

Bute House Care Home. (Image: NQ Archive)

The requirements included instructions that risk assessments be carried out and kept up to date for all residents for nutrition, skin care and falls, to maintain accurate records and keep them up to date, and to use feedback from residents to inform service development.

The home was ordered to ensure “safer recruitment practices” are followed, including “that references are sought from previous or current employers prior to someone commencing employment”.

In addition the inspectors said that by July 15 at the latest the provider “must at a minimum carry out a full assessment of the environment of the home internally and externally”.

A new management team has recently been put in place at the care home, headed up by home manager Pauline Hunter.

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Ms Hunter said: “Bute House has entered into a voluntary moratorium as result of the latest Care Inspection report.

“I wish to assure everyone that the caring staff are doing a wonderful job of looking after our residents.

“As the new manager I also want to assure all, that we as a team are working very hard to address issues from the CI report. We entered this voluntarily to allow us to make the improvements.

“We have met the first set of requirements within seven days and I am so proud of the whole team for this.

“A huge amount of work has been completed already.

“We don’t have a date of opening yet and it wont be until at least mid July.”