Shocking test results: nursing homes in Schleswig-Holstein are failing!

Shocking test results: nursing homes in Schleswig-Holstein are failing!

What is happening in geriatric care in Schleswig-Holstein? According to a current report from the State Audit Office, senior care homes are only inadequately monitored. In 2023, of 575 geriatric care facilities, only 358 were inspected - that corresponds to a worrying inspection rate of just 62 percent. Inspection plays a crucial role in ensuring the protection of those in need of care, but the low inspection rate raises serious concerns. The differences between the regions are particularly striking: While in Segeberg, Ostholstein and Kiel over 96% of the facilities were checked, the rates in Steinburg are only 26% and in Lübeck only 21%. KN online reports.

The situation in Lübeck is particularly alarming: Here, every full-time employee is responsible for 1,544 home places. In comparison, in Kiel there is one specialist available for almost 580 positions, while in Rendsburg-Eckernförde only 470 positions per employee have to be managed. The lack of staff in the supervisory authorities was identified as the main reason for the lack of controls. The Ministry of Social Affairs, which is responsible for technical supervision, recognizes these problems and emphasizes the need for every residential facility to be inspected annually. The plan is to reduce the scope of the audit to the regulatory core, which is unlikely to resolve the existing deficiencies.

The challenges from practice

The difficulties of caring for the elderly cannot only be measured in numbers. Esther Schweizer described her mother's desperate situation in a Hamburg nursing home, where she was no longer able to hold a spoon or fork and eventually tried to eat with her hands. Such reports are not an isolated case. Former nursing staff, like Martina Schmidt, report that residents often take a long time to do simple things like drinking a glass of water. Time is in short supply and there are not enough rooms for individual support. NDR reports.

The home inspectorate, which is ultimately responsible for inspecting nursing homes, must carry out annual inspections to protect the dignity and needs of residents. Defects can lead to anything from consultations to temporary closures. However, the inspection rates in northern Germany show that in some cases no more than half of the necessary inspections are carried out. A worrying example is Hamburg, where the inspection rate was only 8% in 2016 and only rose to 22% in 2017.

Policies and future reports

In view of these challenges, the Ministry of Social Affairs has announced that it will reduce the scope of controls. The current test catalog comprises 59 pages and also addresses the self-determination of those in need of care and complaint management. The quality of care is a central issue that is examined not only by the regulatory authorities, but also by the medical service of the health insurance company (MDK). This carries out quality checks every two years, now also increasingly in view of the corona pandemic, which has severely restricted tests in 2021. MD-Bund comments.

The upcoming Care Quality Report will be published in early 2025 and could offer new insights into the data collected so far in 2023, while the last report from May 2024 provided exciting insights into the challenges of the pandemic years. It remains to be seen whether the problems in Schleswig-Holstein will also be adequately addressed. The fact is: There is still a lot to do to improve the future of geriatric care in Germany.