Staff at a Care Home in Scotland have been told they are not doing enough to manage the potential risks of deadly bacteria.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has given the Nursing Home until next Friday to improve its risk assessment around legionella.
The bacteria which can be found in water systems – can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a rare form of pneumonia.
Although no case of Legionnaire's has been found in the care home, procedures still need to be in place. After an unannounced visit in May, Safety Inspectors found that not enough had been done to assess the risk of elderly residents being exposed to bacteria which could grow in the water systems.
Further to this, the care home had not appointed anyone to take responsibility for implementing a written control scheme to manage and monitor the risk of residents being exposed to the disease.
The care home has made it clear that at no point has there been an outbreak, however, they were told improvement need to be made in order to prevent the risk. They are now looking at not only improving their procedures but also undertaking training.
Source: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/moray/elgin/1793277/elgin-care-home-told-to-do-more-to-assess-risk-of-legionnaires-disease/
