‘Neglected’ care home to close after critical report
A care home for adults with learning disabilities is to close after being described as “tired looking and neglected” by inspectors.
Staffing levels and the condition of Rosebank Care Home were highlighted as particular concerns in the latest report on the facility.
During the Care Inspectorate visit to the home, experts reported that staff took ten minutes to find the right key to open one elderly woman’s door.
The inspectors noted: “This was not acceptable as it posed a serious risk to the resident in the event of a fire.”
In the report from the July inspection, it was also noted that “the environment has become very tired looking and neglected in some areas” and that there had been “little progress” since a previous damning report.
Four Seasons Healthcare, which runs the Rosebank Street home, confirmed it would now close down the facility, which has capacity to care for 32 adults with learning difficulties, by the end of next March.
A Four Seasons spokeswoman said on Tuesday: “There has been considerable change over recent years in the provision of care for people with learning disability.
“It is now believed that, where feasible, it is better for them to be supported to live in the community, preferably in their own home, to enable them to live to their full potential. This thinking is rightly reflected in government strategy.
”As care home nursing provision is no longer considered the most appropriate support in many cases, we have seen a decline in the requirement for placements in Rosebank Care Home.
“As a consequence of this situation we have reluctantly decided to close Rosebank before the end of March next year. Meanwhile we will work in close consultation with Dundee City Council.”
She added: “The needs of the current residents will be assessed and discussed with their relatives and arrangements will be made to provide care and support appropriate to their individual needs. Everyone involved in managing this process is committed to make this transition a positive one for the residents.”
The inspectorate found broken bedroom furniture, bedside lights, a peeling floor covering in a toilet and a “strong malodour in bedrooms” at the home.
It also described the care home and its level of care as “weak” and “unsatisfactory”.
At a meeting of the council’s social work committee on Monday night, social work director Alan Baird said the full financial implications of the closure are not yet known.
He said needs assessments will be carried out for all residents and will be “dictated by the pace at which residents are able to be resettled”.
He said it is anticipated that this will result in additional annual costs “in the region of £500,000” which will be factored into next year’s budget.
Dwonload the Care Inspectorate report on Rosebank Care Home in full.
