Lawyers calling for probe into firm after deaths at a second care home

Lawyers representing families of C ovid -19 victims at a Skye care home say“history is repeating itself ” with deaths at another facility run by the same company.

Following the death of 10 residents, HC- One’s Home Farm care home in Portree is to be taken over by NHS Highland.

HC- One also operates the Redmill Care Home in West Lothian where 14 people have died.

PBW Law has backed calls for an urgent Care Inspectorate investigation into HC- One’s operating standards at Redmill.

Pamela Rodgers, associate at the firm, said: “The standard of care on Skye was so substandard that NHS Highland was forced to intervene and acquire the home.

“Whilst families were advised that all necessary measures were being taken to protect their loved ones, in actual fact HC- One refused offers

made by NHS Highland to step in and clean the home in an effort to improve ‘ unsatisfactory’ levels of cleanliness.

“Sadly, it appears history is repeating itself with this heartbreaking situation at Redmill Care Home.”

A spokeswoman for HCOne said it has spoken openly and regularly with the correct bodies.

She said: “We also know how detailed and robust

our current protection plans are and how tirelessly colleagues at every level of the organisation are working to protect our homes and our residents during this pandemic.”

She said the only way to keep care homes safe is to reduce the rate of infection in the community, adding that Redmill is in an area with one of the highest rates of community infection.

Care home operator HC-One is back in the spotlight.