The Florentine senior’s residence in Merritt is currently the subject of nineteen outstanding infractions, eight of which are designated as critical.

According to an inspection report dated Feb. 9, 2021 the critical infractions range from the use of restraints, lack of staff immunization records and reporting and recording incidents:

  • There is no system in place to ensure that the persons in care who use restraints have a restraint care plan in place, or that the restraints are reassessed with the outcome documented. This Licensing Officer reviewed a persons in care’s chart who uses restraints and noted there was no restraint care plan in place.
  • There is no process in place to ensure that consent is obtained by a person in care’s representative and their medical practitioner prior to initiating restraints. A persons in care’s chart was reviewed and it was noted there was no signed consent obtained from their representative and medical practitioner for the use of restraints.
  • The site is not in compliance with regulations that stipulate incidents and notifications are reported and records are retained
  • The site is not in compliance with regulations that stipulate employee records have evidence of continued compliance with the Province’s immunization and tuberculosis control programs
  • The system that is in place to ensure that persons in care’s immunization screening/status is documented in their charts is ineffective.

Non-critical infractions indicate that the required written policies and procedures are not in place to guide employees in matters relating to care and supervision of persons in care. One example was given of a contracted foot care service provider that did not meet legislative requirements and that their credentials did not meet the requirements of the COVID-19 Medical Health Officer’s Single Site Staffing Order.

Interior Health also noted that employee performance was not reviewed regularly, and that there were critical issues identified in the staff files.

Also cited was a lack of implemented system which would ensure persons in care are regularly monitored and that their needs continue to be met.

According to Interior Health records, inspectors have made five visits to the Florentine since September. Once for a routine inspection, three times for routine follow ups and in one incident to investigate a substantiated complaint.

Interior Health has not released details beyond the inspection reports and had no further comment when contacted by the Herald.

The complete inspection report can be found here