Stirling Council rapped in elderly care row

A COMPLAINT that Stirling Council operated respite places at a local elderly home without permission has been upheld by care home watchdogs.

The Care Commission said it never received an application for variation of use to allow three respite places at Beech Gardens – and even if it had, the council should not have actioned the respite places without their written consent and proper consideration being given to the effects on permanent residents.

The matter has ignited the latest in a series of rows over the wider issue of Stirling’s elderly care, particularly over whether proper consultation and procedures are being followed.

The commission’s findings said: “With seven permanent residents, there have continually been up to three people staying for a short stay in what should be a care home environment. This is perceived by relatives and the commission officer to be a disproportionately high number.

“There are also concerns the frequent turnover of these clients is confusing and unsettling for permanent residents. Relatives also describe anxiety about the uncertain future.”

Those currently on respite places at the home will be allowed to continue but there will be no new cases – at least until proper procedures have been gone through.

A spokesperson for CARE, which raised the complaint on behalf of residents and their families, said: “Concerns were expressed to senior council officials as far back as last June but these were either ignored or dismissed.”

CARE (Campaign Against Residents’ Eviction) was originally set up last year to fight the closures of Beech Gardens and Wellgreen homes, a campaign which proved successful, and it has since been involved with a council scrutiny panel looking at how to improve elderly care across Stirling.

Lib-Dem councillor Ian Brown said, however: “As a panel member I am angry it has taken a complaint to the Care Commission to highlight an issue that should have been addressed.

“In May 2009 the panel was advised that two vacant beds would be used for step down/respite at Beech Gardens in the short term and that it was not necessary to apply for a change of use to the Care Commission.

“The SNP constantly remind opposition councillors that Stirling is not an officer-led administration so the blame for this fiasco lies firmly at the door of care services portfolio holder Councillor Graham Houston.”

Scrutiny panel chair Labour councillor John Hendry added: “It is time Councillor Houston got a grip of the issue and worked his way through the solutions set out in last year’s scrutiny panel report, which was given unanimous approval by the council as the way forward.

“A year later and in the wake of the fiasco with his attempt to close care homes, no action has been taken by Councillor Houston to remedy the situation.”

The council leader, however, condemned the councillors’ comments as “plunging new depths in playing fear and smear politics with the elderly.”

Councillor Houston hit back: “We will respond to the Care Commission’s concerns but will always put the welfare of the older people in our care first. In this instance the council submitted necessary documentation to the commission to use some capacity for respite care, yet the commission claim not to have it, hence their findings on this matter. We will continue to work with them to resolve this issue as a matter of urgency.

“Beech Gardens is a private care home that has to be staffed by the council because no contract was put in place under Councillor Hendry’s watch when he held the social care portfolio. That means a huge amount of money that could be used to support a wider range of services for older people cannot be because of Councillor Hendry’s negligence.”