Care home ‘was so appalling it sparked police investigation’
A CARE home is facing closure amid allegations its elderly residents have been put at risk.
The Muirhead Care Home near Alford, Aberdeenshire, faces being shut after an inspection last month because its service is ‘so poor’.
Problems discovered included residents not being fed properly and issues with staff recruitment and training.
Police have also launched an investigation into the residential home, which at present looks after 35 people.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘Police are working with partners including the Care Inspectorate and Aberdeenshire Council after concerns were raised regarding Muirhead Care Home in Alford, Aberdeenshire.’
The Care Inspectorate, which regulates care homes in Scotland, applied to Aberdeen Sheriff Court to close the home.
Now teams from the Care Inspectorate and Aberdeenshire Social Care Partnership have gone in to provide support.
The privately owned care home looks after elderly residents in Muir of Fowlis, Aberdeenshire.
A Care Inspectorate spokesman said: ‘We found people were not getting the care and support they need, with serious concerns about staff recruitment, including the number of staff, staff training and experience. We also identified serious concerns about food, and the way people should be supported to have wellbalanced and nutritious meals.
‘We found numerous hazards
Told me he doesn’t get much to eat’
and found that very serious incidents had not been followed up correctly. The quality of care is so poor we have applied for an emergency cancellation of this home’s registration.’
Yesterday families said they had raised their own concerns about the quality of care.
Pearl Crawford, whose 76-yearold uncle, James Richie, has been a resident of Muirhead for the past three years, said he had lost a ‘huge’ amount of weight and claimed she had found him soiled. She added: ‘He told me he doesn’t get much to eat. I wasn’t happy with his appearance. He was dirty. He’s gone downhill.
‘There have been times when I’ve come out and just cried.’
Iain Ramsay, partnership manager for Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said: ‘Our teams have been working closely with the Care Inspectorate to provide support to the residents and their families.’
In a statement, the Muirhead Care Home said: ‘The Care Inspectorate were unsuccessful in seeking an interim order from the court which would have effectively seen the home closed.
‘We have given an undertaking to the court that we will provide an action plan to address those issues of concern.’
Miles Briggs, Scottish Tory health spokesman, said: ‘Questions will have to be answered about how this was allowed to happen, and for how long.’