Families begin legal action against care home operator

Families who lost loved ones in the Covid-19 outbreak at Home Farm Care Home on Skye are to begin legal proceedings.

Highland Councillor John Gordon, who lost his father at the home in May, is uniting with other bereaved families to address the failings at the home and is calling for others across Scotland to share their concerns about how other care homes have responded to the crisis.

Councillor Gordon said: ‘The situation at Home Farm was appalling but I do not think it is an isolated case. I believe many other care homes in Scotland have also failed to safeguard vulnerable residents like my father at a time when they most needed protection.

‘I hope other families in similar circumstances will

Councillor John Gordon.

contact me so that lessons can be learned before more lives are lost.’

Ten residents died at Portree’s Home Farm Care Home during the outbreak earlier this year. A total of 30 people living in the home tested positive for

Covid-19 and 29 staff also tested positive. The operator HCOne is in the process of selling the home to NHS Highland.

Peter Watson of PBW Law, who is acting on behalf of the families, said: ‘The families have already suffered bereavement in the most tragic circumstances.

‘Compounding their loss is the fear that their loves ones could have been protected had the proper procedures been in place.

Scrutiny

‘I am writing to the Lord Advocate to ask if a fatal accident inquiry is to be held. I will also ask the Scottish Government, which has indicated that there will be an inquiry, whether this will be a public inquiry, which would enable a proper scrutiny of the regulation of care homes.’

PBW Law is representing Councillor John Gordon, his sister, Mary Maccaskill and Norma Morrison, who lost her mother Margaret Morrison.

The Care Inspectorate’s report on May 18 detailed a litany of serious failings at the home following a series of unannounced inspections in April and May.

Staff reported residents had been left lying in urine and faeces and the families had raised concerns that there were few infection control measures in place.

The Care Inspectorate team found residents had lost weight during lockdown and that medication was not administered safely or in timely manner.

Staffing levels were inadequate on numerous occasions and some staff were working 60 hours a week. Staff also did not consistently use PPE in an effective manner to protect themselves and others from

aHighland Council members unanimously agreed a motion last week by Eilean a' Cheò (Skye) ward members to seek assurances that all revenue funding regarding the purchase of Home Farm Care Home at Portree would be met by the Scottish Government.

Chairman of the Eilean a' Cheò committee Councillor John Gordon said: ‘The report from the Care Inspectorate was a hard read and we welcome the NHS taking on the running of Home Farm, however, the detail of the financial

the risk of infection. The overall cleanliness of the home also gave rise to serious concerns and infection control measures were lacking.

The Care

Inspectorate impacts of the purchase are as yet unclear.’

Leader of the Highland Council Margaret Davidson commented: ‘I want to congratulate the heroic efforts of staff involved in turning around a significant improvement in the care home. The Scottish Government has agreed to fund revenue costs for the first year, but funding for future years is uncertain.

‘We cannot be in a position of having to cut services elsewhere in social care and we need a sustainable solution for the longer term.’

subsequently applied for cancellation of the care service’s registration under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, however, this application was subsequently withdrawn.