Care Home Scandal: Dying Man’s karaoke Night Ordeal

CARE home staff made a dying man wait for a doctor in a lounge where residents were having a karaoke night.

The 78-year-old drifted in and out of conciousness as music blared around him.

Despite protests from his family, the pensioner was left in the lounge until a doctor arrived and told staff to move him.

The scandal at Kerrvale Home in Glasgow was revelaed in a report by the Care Commission.

The watchdogs’ report also revealed it was clear the man, who had dementia, was desperately ill.

Yet staff refused to call in medical help until relatives intervened.

He died in Glasgow Royal Infirmary three days after seeing the doctor.

The Care Commission upheld six serious complaints from the pensioner’s family about Kerrvale.

The report said the man was normally mobile and chatty. But on February 22 this year, he became very sick, couldn’t talk and was distresed.

The report added: “The family relayed their concern to the staff nurse on duty in strong terms, including their fear for his life, but no medical attention was sought.”

The next day, the man’s condition got worse, his blood sugar was dangerously high and he was struggling to breathe.

But staff waited until late afternoon to call NHS 24.

Three calls were made but “only basic information” was given by a nurse at the home.

The report said: “Karaoke was being played until the doctor arrived. The resident remained in the lounge throughout this.”

In another damning interdictment, it emerged that security as so bad at Kerrvale that the man had been allowed to wander out of the Bridgeton home nine times in six months.

The report said staff “were aware of the risk to the resident but appropriate actions were not taken”.