30 November 2008
By Kate Foster
THEY charge in excess of £400 a week but are accused of giving elderly residents crumbling accommodation, poorly trained carers and inadequate facilities in return. Today, Scotland on Sunday can reveal the Scottish nursing homes officially judged this year to be the worst in the country.
More than 400 homes have been inspected this year – about half the total – 23 of which fell far below the standards expected and six of which were found to have serious failings, according to research involving this newspaper and the Care Commission.
Problems witnessed by inspectors included residents being left in food-stained clothes, and living in shabby and dirty conditions surrounded by litter and discarded cigarette ends, sometimes forced to share a bathroom with several others.Despite the poor conditions, homes typically charge fees of at least £20,000 a year.
The problem care homes can now be flagged up after major changes to the inspection regime that allow the public to see grades awarded by inspectors. This newspaper worked with the Care Commission to get all the national figures analysed to produce tables of the best and worst.Ronnie Hill, the Care Commission's lead director for grading, branded the weakest homes as "failing" and warned they would be the subject of further inspections. Politicians and campaigners for the elderly said they were "angry, upset and disappointed" at the revelations.
But 23 have so far been judged "unsatisfactory or weak" in all of the four areas, with six scoring more than one "unsatisfactory" grading. (Please go to source for the list)
Abridged
SOURCE: Scotland on Sunday UK
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