An Inverness care home closed by the Care Inspectorate due to “significant concerns” over the quality of care it provided has dropped its appeal against closure and will remain shut.
Scotland’s care watchdog body issued RDS Healthcare with a closure notice for 34-room Clachnaharry Care Home in Clachnaharry Road last November and its 17 residents were found alternative accommodation.
This followed the company’s failure to make improvements required after an unannounced inspection.
RDS Healthcare initially fought the enforced closure and lodged an appeal at Inverness Sheriff Court, but this has now been withdrawn and the case has been dismissed.
The Care Inspectorate has welcomed the company’s decision to drop its appeal.
Director of Inspection, Dr Robert Peat, said: “We are pleased that the provider has withdrawn this appeal at an early stage and that the home will remain closed.
“The majority of care homes in Scotland perform well, but we do not hesitate to act where necessary. Every person has the right to safe, compassionate and high-quality care, which reflects their needs and promotes their rights.”
On September 17 last year, the company was given until September 30 to carry out seven improvements, but failed to do so.
These included ensuring adequate staffing levels, making “proper provision for the health, welfare and safety of service users” and ensuring the premises were “safe, clean and hygienic at all times”.
During a previous visit, inspectors found problems with the administration of medication, dirty carpets, stains on bathroom walls and “offensive odours”.
There were also concerns about holes in the floors, rusty shower heads, mouldy shower enclosures and showers which did not work.
The Care Inspectorate then issued RDS Healthcare with 14 days’ notice that its registration was going to be cancelled – meaning it could no longer operate.
At that time, a spokesman for the care watchdog, said: “We have significant concerns about the quality of care offered to elderly and vulnerable residents at Clachnaharry.”
And NHS Highland confirmed that it had found accommodation for all the residents.
A woman answering the phone at the RDS Healthcare offices in Dingwall yesterday said she could not comment on the withdrawal of the appeal and the company failed to respond to a request to speak to someone who could.