A FREEZING Dunfermline care home where residents were having to put coats on while eating meals has been threatened with possible closure.

The Care Inspectorate visited Leys Park Care Home in November and have ordered that urgent improvements be made by March or they will "make a proposal" to cancel the facility's registration.

Inspectors said people were "experiencing significantly poor outcomes" as a result of using the service, highlighting critical weaknesses including the low temperature within the home, staffing shortages and the poor condition in some areas of building which were putting people at risk of significant harm.

They said that while some strengths were identified, these were compromised by "significant weaknesses" at the home which currently provides accommodation for over 50 people.

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Residents were seen to have dirty fingernails, uncut toenails or were requiring a shower. There were extended periods of time between incontinence aid changes.

"This was not respectful or dignified and put people at risk of physical harm," said the report.

"The dining room on the ground floor was very cold and we observed people eating their meals with their outdoor coats on. This was negatively impacting on their dining experience.

"People were not always receiving the correct level of support that they required, such as support to cut up their food. For those people who required their fluid or food intake monitored, this was not being consistently recorded. We could not be confident that people's nutritional needs were always being met."

Infection prevention and control concerns were raised after dirty window sills and soiled clothes were spotted in communal areas while there were unsecured areas which had chemicals or equipment that could fall on people putting people at risk of serious harm.

"Several areas of the building were in disrepair and unsuitable for habitation," the report stated. "We found areas with crumbling plaster, peeling paintwork and damp. We identified a number of broken windows.

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"We found several areas affected by water damage and ongoing water leaks. We intervened during the inspection and directed the provider to take immediate action to reduce the risk of physical harm to people.

"We were concerned that the service failed to take appropriate action to address these concerns prior to being directed by inspectors."

Inspectors described the heating system as "ineffective" adding that "most areas" were of an unacceptable temperature for people to live and work in.

"We observed some people wearing several layers of clothing, including outdoor jackets," they said. "People and staff told us they regularly felt cold. We took and gathered records of temperatures in the service, which again demonstrated a very poorly heated environment.

"Without effective heating people were left feeling cold, putting them at significant risk of deteriorating physical and mental health. Following direction, the service acted and purchased temporary heaters to keep people warm.

"People should expect, at a minimum, to live in an environment which is warm, clean and safe. We found significant concerns regarding all areas of the environment, which put people at unacceptable risk of harm."

Gary Hartland, chairperson of St Philips Care which run the home, said they were "disappointed" that the inspection showed the level of service had "dipped below" their normal high standards.

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"At St Philips Care we hold the well-being of our residents at the heart of all that we do, and always endeavour to provide exceptional care delivered with kindness and compassion," he said.

"We are acting immediately on the concerns raised by the Care Inspectorate and are working with them to ensure that we swiftly return to our normal high standards. Leys Park was rated Good in June, so we are confident that we can quickly return to this level.

"We have currently spent £2m transforming Leys Park from a care home with basic facilities, into a luxury care home with 54 rooms, all with wet rooms. This project is expected to be completed by December of this year.

"We have replaced the old heating system, which did operate at a reduced capacity for a short period, though we carefully monitored and recorded the temperature in the areas occupied by the residents, to ensure that the temperature remained comfortable.

"We would like to reassure all residents, friends and families that we are committed to working with the Care Inspectorate to swiftly rectify any issues, and ensure that we continue to offer the highest level of care to all of our residents."