Section 13 Provision of facilities and services

professional, technical, ancillary and other supporting staff;

accommodation and space for each patient in the home including, where appropriate, day-room facilities separate from sleeping accommodation;

furniture, bedding, curtains and, where necessary, suitable screens and floor covering in rooms occupied or used by patients;

treatment facilities and medical, surgical and nursing equipment;

fire fighting equipment;

wash basins and baths or showers supplying hot and cold water, and water closets and sluicing facilities;

light, heating and ventilation in all parts of the home occupied or used by patients;

means of escape in the event of fire;

permanently displayed notices explaining procedures in the event of fire;

kitchen equipment, crockery, cutlery and facilities for the preparation and storage of food;

supplies of suitable food for every patient;

arrangements for the storage and regular laundering of soiled and dirty linen;

arrangements for the disposal of swabs, soiled dressings, instruments and similar substances and materials;

arrangements for the provision of medical and dental services for any patient in the home, whether under Part II of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978^f1 or otherwise;

arrangements for the recording, safe keeping, handling and disposal of drugs;

arrangements for the prevention of infection, toxic conditions, or spread of infection at the home and the provision of adequate sterilising procedures in operating theatres;

arrangements, where appropriate, for the training or occupation, and recreation of patients, and play and education facilities for child patients;

facilities for any patient to receive visitors, or be interviewed, in private.

take precautions—

make adequate arrangements for detecting, containing and extinguishing fire, for the giving of warnings and for the evacuation of patients and staff in the event of fire.

keep all parts of the home occupied or used by patients in good structural repair, clean and reasonably decorated;

provide suitable storage of medical gas cylinders and highly inflammable materials;

provide for the home to be connected to a public telephone service;

where the home is a maternity home, and in any home in which surgical operations are undertaken or life support systems used, provide such electrical supply as would be needed to safeguard the lives of the patients during interruption of public supply;

ensure that arrangements for dealing with medical emergencies of patients, including children born in the home to patients, are agreed with the Health Board and are brought to the attention of members of the nursing home staff;

at such times as may be agreed with the fire authority, consult that authority on fire precautions in the home;

be responsible for the day-to-day running of the home and make adequate arrangements for its running on occasions when he is absent from the home, or, where there is a person in charge of the home, make or cause to have made adequate arrangements for the running when the person in charge is absent from the home;

inform the Health Board in writing of proposed absences of periods of more than 4 weeks of himself, where he is responsible for the day-to-day running of the home, or of the person in charge.