Isles council suspend admissions to dementia care home

Admissions to a care home in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis have been suspended amid concerns over the diet of residents.

Western Isles Council have now moved to carry out a mulit-agency review of the 40-bed Blar Buidhe Care Home which specialises in dementia care.

The news follows a Care Inspectorate inquiry in December last year which found an 80-year-old woman lost six stones before her death after residing at the home.

Inspectors found the pensioner did not receive enough food or water and said there was evidence she was at a high risk of malnutrition during her time at the home.

Western Isles Council’s chief social work officer Iain Macaulay said: “Following concerns brought to my attention at the end of last year, and in light of these new issues being brought to the council’s attention, a multi-agency meeting agreed that a review should be carried out to ascertain if there are underlying ongoing issues at Blar Buidhe.

“We have acted quickly by adopting a more interventionist approach and we are determined that the highest standards of care are in place at all residential facilities in the Western Isles. Families of residents are being informed of the current procedures under way.”

A spokesman for the Care Inspectorate added: “This a serious and concerning matter. We have been kept closely informed by colleagues at the local authority and we continue to monitor this situation.

“Everyone in Scotland has the right to safe, compassionate care which meets their needs and respects their rights.”

The HC One-owned home will remain open while the inquiry is carried out.

Picture (c) Google Maps.