Care home resident waited more than a week for toothbrush

A CARE home in Edinburgh has come under fire after a new resident had to wait more than a week for a toothbrush and toothpaste.

The discovery came during an inspection of Gylemuir House, an interim home for those who have been discharged from hospital and are awaiting a permanent care home place.

A Care Inspectorate report raised a raft of concerns, giving “weak” ratings to both the management of Gylemuir House and the quality of its environment. Inspectors reported one resident at the council-managed home had been forced to move room several times due to an ant infestation and that there were recurring problems with the water supply.

They criticised staff for an “often poor” attitude to residents, noting examples of them “ignoring or giving false answers to a resident who frequently asked for help”.

Gylemuir House was highlighted as a point of concern in a damning report into the state of elderly care in Edinburgh last week.

A joint report from the Care Inspectorate and Health Improvement Scotland revealed a string of failures across the city and warned the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership to take urgent action.

Richard Baker, Age Scotland policy manager, called the Gylemuir inspection findings “deeply concerning”.