Everyone working in the care home sector understands the importance of protecting vulnerable residents, but some dangers are more obvious than others, says Hagbard Eriksen, managing director of Danish Clean Water
If the water system in a care home is not being maintained properly and is full of waterborne bacteria such as Legionella and Pseudomonas, the chances are the water that comes out of the tap or shower will not show any variation in colour or taste and no one will know how dangerous it is until it is too late.
Without a thorough and effective risk management strategy, care homes could be allowing a potentially deadly danger to thrive without realising it, leaving them open to substantial financial and reputational risk should an outbreak occur –not to mention the potentially disastrous effects for residents.
Last year, Bupa Care Homes was fined £3 million following the death of a resident from Legionnaires’ disease at a nursing home in Essex. Samples taken from the taps in his en-suite bathroom found there was a high concentration of Legionellain the water.
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