vulnerable old people at oban facility had been told it would have to shut down
Probe into care home ‘closure’ communication breakdown
Published:
A council is investigating a “breakdown of communication” after relatives of vulnerable old people at a care home were wrongly told it would have to close.
Argyll and Bute Council stated categorically yesterday that no decision has been taken to close 22-bed Eader Glinn at Oban.
The announcement came after the Press and Journal revealed that family members were called to an emergency meeting where they were informed that the home did not meet new regulations and it would be impossible to bring the old building up to standard.
They were told by social work managers that the council now had two options – close it four weeks after a council meeting on June 26, or close it six months after the meeting.
This caused major concern and distress as Oban has recently lost 25 beds with the closure of Ossians care home at North Connell.
Douglas Hendry, the council’s director of community services, said he would be looking into the statements made to staff and relatives.
Mr Hendry said: “It is crossed wires, mixed messages, whatever you want to call it. The council has taken no decision to close or dispose of any care home. I am looking to calm folk down. A faulty understanding of the position has been relayed and passed on to people.
“I want to reassure folk. I am looking for an opportunity at some point in the next week to get up there and make sure that the proper message is given to the folk that work there and the relatives.”
Councillors Roddie McCuish and Neil MacKay went to Eader Glinn last night to speak to staff. Councillor MacKay said: “What they were told was not correct. It has caused an awful lot of trauma, stress, upset and concern that was not needed.”
Mr Hendry said that Wednesday’s meeting was called to update people on an ongoing exercise looking at all council services for older people.
The council's spokesman for social services, Councillor Donald McIntosh, said: “The review of the council's social work service in January 2007 recommended various options for the future delivery of older people's services, including care homes, and as a result a special committee for older people's services was established to develop proposals for the future of the services.
“These included a market testing exercise on the basis of the lease or sale of a limited number of care home buildings.
“This is purely a testing process at this stage.”
Jamie McGrigor, list MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said: “This comes as a relief to those people, staff and patients at Eader Glinn who were informed in no uncertain terms that their home was to close, either within a month or at the end of six months.”
Argyll and Bute MSP Jim Mather said: “It is regrettable tuncertainty about the future of Eader Glinn has been allowed to develop, causing unnecessary stress to residents, their families and the staff."
