MSP Calls For Public Inquiry Into Nursing Home

East Lothian MSP and Scottish Labour Leader Iain Gray is leading calls for a full public inquiry into the closure of Cockenzie House Nursing Home.

He is demanding to know what impact the crisis had on residents of the home and whether the upset and disruption hastened the death of any of those residents.

“The message I’m getting from local people is that there are still many unanswered questions.

“Residents, their relatives and local GPs were all strongly supportive of the home staying open.

“Yet it closed despite their concerted efforts to save it,” he said.

” I believe that there are wider lessons which much be learned from the Cockenzie House closure, which is why I think an inquiry is justified.”

Facility

Mr Gray has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Health Nicola Sturgeon asking that she set up an inquiry and has offered to meet her to explain the case in more detail.

“The closure meant some residents moving to a nearby care home, which also had a Care Commission Improvement notice against it, while others moved to a new council facility,” he continued.

“The leasing, refurbishment and staffing of that facility has proved extremely expensive and contributed to a £1.5 million overspend in the adult social care budget in the first three months of this financial year.”

Referring to the inquiry by East Lothian Council into the issue, Mr Gray added: “While East Lothian Council recently held the Daniels Inquiry, the remit was limited and all of the evidence private.

“A number of key questions remain unanswered, a fact that even the Daniels Report acknowledges.”