Investigation clears Esperi Care’s Edit care home in Pietarsaari of negligence allegations

An independent investigation has found no evidence of negligence in the care of elderly residents at Esperi Care’s Edit care home in Pietarsaari. The external review was commissioned following a report by three anonymous caregivers to Svenska Yle that highlighted hygiene issues, inadequate medication management, and chaotic staffing conditions over the past two years. Dr. Katarina Näs, a physician who worked at the facility from 2019 to 2023, corroborated these claims, noting witnessed instances of neglect.

Esperi Care, responsible for the operation of the care home, has denied the allegations. According to the investigation conducted by Labquality, the care provided at Edit meets appropriate standards and regulatory requirements. The summary of the report confirms that the issues raised in the media were not observed during the investigation.

The evaluation included a review of operational plans, guidelines, and monitoring information, as well as interviews with staff and management. It also involved an on-site visit to the facility. However, the report noted areas for improvement. For instance, documentation practices need enhancement concerning care plans and training specific to the unit. Additionally, the care home is updating its operational procedures available on its intranet and plans to pay greater attention to individualized care plans for residents moving forward.

The Regional State Administrative Agency is also investigating suspicions of neglect at the care home, following a report received at the end of September. The welfare region conducted a surprise inspection in collaboration with the agency on October 3, with results expected soon. No significant issues were found during a surprise inspection carried out at the end of August.