SCANDAL OF SCOTLAND’S CARE HOME DEATH TOLL
An elderly patient dies every two days of injury or accident, shocking figures reveal
AN elderly resident dies every two days in Scotland’s care homes after suffering a serious injury.
Shocking national records of Scotland (Nrs) figures obtained by the Scottish Daily Mail reveal that 187 Oaps died last year as a result of accidents, falls, poisoning, selfharm and even assaults.
and the true figure could be even higher as those who passed away after they were taken to hospital are not included in the official statistics.
The figures do not state whether the incidents that led to residents’ deaths occurred in care homes, or if an accident had happened elsewhere before the person died.
The numbers reflect the amount of people who passed away while resident at the care homes.
however, details obtained from a host of public bodies reveal how some elderly care home residents
have suffered physical and sexual assaults as well as being burned, breaking bones and being subjected to neglect, verbal abuse or threats in care homes.
In some situations companies and staff have faced enforcement action for failings that led to residents being hurt.
Figures provided by the Care Inspectorate show people in care homes for the elderly in Scotland were injured more than 1,300 times in the past year alone.
In addition, there were said to be more than 7,400 occasions when they could have suffered ‘harm or loss’ and almost 3,000 times they were involved in accidents.
Meanwhile, councils have recorded incidents involving old people being hurt in care homes as a result of medication errors, attacks by other residents, being injured by ‘flying’ or ‘moving objects’ or choking.
They have also been injured after they were exposed to or came into contact with harmful substances.
Residents are said to have been physically and psychologically harmed, with some on the receiving end of violence and aggression. The figures provided by councils relate to local authority homes while the Care Inspectorate data encompasses all care homes for the elderly in Scotland.
Lesley Carcary of charity Action on Elder Abuse said: ‘All too often, we come across horror stories such as these where elderly residents are regularly harmed, abused or neglected in the very place they should feel safe. Our elderly population deserve to feel safe and protected in care homes, not living in fear and distress.
‘Action on Elder Abuse wants the harm and abuse of older people to be as socially unacceptable as other forms of abuse.’
Data provided by the NRS shows 187 people aged 60 and over died in care homes as a result of ‘external causes of morbidity and mortality’. While the vast majority involved falls, there have also been instances of poisonings, intentional self-harm, assault and ‘events of undetermined intent’.
Meanwhile, the number of injuries being suffered by frail elderly people in Scotland’s care homes has risen by more than 50 per cent in the past five years alone.
In 2014/15 the Care Inspectorate received notifications of 882 occasions when old people suffered injuries in care homes. In 2018/19 there were 1,325 notifications – more than three a day.
Incidents when they could have suffered ‘harm or loss’ were up by 32 per cent between 2014 and 2018.
The Care Inspectorate said it does not record whether the accidents, incidents and injuries are instances of abuse. It also said it is not known how many care homes faced enforcement action as a result of incidents, accidents or injuries involving care home residents as this data is not linked to records of enforcement action.
However, in the last financial year (up to March 2019) 12 enforcement notices were sent to care homes for the elderly.
The figures were obtained by the Mail through FOI from the National Records of Scotland, the Care Inspectorate and Scotland’s councils.
The Care Inspectorate said it expects care services ‘to support people to be safe, and live active and healthy lives as much as possible as they get older’.
A spokesman added: ‘We expect all care experienced by people to meet the national health and social care standards.
‘We work closely with care providers to share good practice on how to reduce risks and keep people safe.
‘While the majority of care services in Scotland perform well, we do not hesitate to take action where people experience care that is not as good as it should be.’