Charity deeply concerned over Edinburgh care home failings

Age Scotland, Scotland’s leading charity for older people, has expressed concerns for older, vulnerable residents after a city care home was issued with a formal improvement notice.

The Care Inspectorate has ordered Edinburgh City Council-owned Drumbrae Care Home to make urgent improvements after an inspection raised serious concerns.

It highlighted weaknesses in staff training, medication management, record keeping, and promoting the dignity and choices of residents.

The care home’s quality of care and support, staffing and management and leadership were all graded “weak” in two previous reports in 2017 and 2018, leading to a ban on new admissions.

Social workers raised concerns at the home in May 2018, after 94-year-old resident and veteran, Malcolm Muirhead, died in hospital. He had lost a significant amount of weight, was badly dehydrated, and had had his basic hygiene needs met.

The latest Improvement Notice says: “Service users’ health and social care needs must be met by staff who are appropriately trained, competent and skilled.  

“Training must include, but is not limited to, moving and handling and use of equipment for moving people.  Records of training and staff competency in the use of this equipment must be kept.”

Brian Sloan, Chief Executive of Age Scotland, said: “It’s deeply concerning that despite previous concerns, Drumbrae Care Home is still failing to provide an acceptable level of care.

“Two reports in the last two years have highlighted serious weaknesses at Drumbrae. These should have been a wake-up call for managers and staff to urgently put improvements in place.

“It’s worrying to hear that older, vulnerable residents are not having their dignity and choices respected.  Poor medication management and record keeping as well as a lack of staff training could be putting them at risk.

“We know the care sector is under a lot of strain, but there’s no excuse for poor quality care. Every older person deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, and to receive appropriate, compassionate care. We hope that Drumbrae Care Home and Edinburgh City Council are urgently addressing these shortcomings and putting in place an improvement plan.”

ENDS