Musselburgh 'fire risk' nursing home closes after damning watchdog warning

A private nursing home given weeks by a watchdog to improve its fire safety procedures or lose its registration has decided to close.
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Adamwood Nursing Home, Musselburgh was served with an Improvement Notice after inspectors visited the home amid concern for people’s safety.

The Care Inspectorate said people’s safety at the home had been ‘compromised’ by poor maintenance, with concerns about fire doors and glass not being maintained or upgraded.

Watchdog report: Adamwood Nursing HomeWatchdog report: Adamwood Nursing Home
Watchdog report: Adamwood Nursing Home
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The visit was sparked after Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) issued an enforcement notice on provider Rollandene Ltd.

A Care Inspectorate report revealed it sent the home a letter of serious concern, following the enforcement notice, ordering the home with immediate effect to increase staff on duty at night to ensure safe evacuation of residents in the event of a fire or other emergency.

It had also been ordered to introduce a fire safety consultant to draw up a plan for the home including training for staff and evacuations procedures and to introduce a valid electrical installation condition test and have a valid test certificate available.

Despite meeting the requirement ahead of the inspectors visit on June 1, the home received a grade two rating or ‘weak’ for the quality of its leadership, its setting and care and support during the Covid pandemic.

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The inspector’s report said: “Although the improvements made met the requirements in the letter of serious concern, the sustainability of these improvements needed to be demonstrated.

“People’s safety was compromised because of poor maintenance of the home, particularly around reducing the risks of fire.

“Evacuation of people in the event of a fire would also need to be undertaken quickly because fire doors and glass had not been well maintained or upgraded.”

The Improvement Notice issued to the home had given them until June 14 to “promote the health, welfare and safety of people living in the home and protect them from harm”.

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It stated the home “must ensure there are sufficient staff on night duty to facilitate the safe evacuation of residents from the care home in the event of a fire or other emergency event. Staffing levels must be sustained at the level to ensure people living in the home are safe. ”

It had also been given until July 24 to ensure that all staff have the appropriate fire safety training to keep people safe and to meet the terms of the SFRS enforcement notice.

The Improvement Notice says: “The Care Inspectorate hereby gives you notice that unless there is a significant improvement in provision of the service, it intends to make a proposal to cancel your registration.”

A spokesperson for the East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership said: “We will work with the nursing home to provide support in relation to the issues raised.”

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Adamswood Nursing Home owner Mairi Wood, 78, said: “I have taken the decision to step into retirement and close the home.

“It is important to me that everyone involved in Adamwood Nursing Home continues to receive the best care possible.

“With that in mind, every resident and member of staff will be rehomed and relocated to local care homes which I trust wholeheartedly."

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