South Ayrshire care home complaint figures

MORE than 100 complaints have been made against old folk’s homes in South Ayrshire in just five years.

Fairknowe nursing home in Maybole and Claremont in Ayr are the worst offenders with 25 complaints between them being upheld either in full or in part.

The figures have been blasted by the South Ayrshire Elderly Forum which has branded them “staggering”.

Complaints made by residents and their concerned families include issues such as potential abuse, inadequate health care, nutrition, infection control, medication issues, missing property and communication.

After thorough investigation into each complaint, Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS), formerly the Care Commission, upheld 99 of 114 in full or in part.

However, 12 care homes in the area have no complaints against them upheld in the same time period.

The figures were issued to the Ayrshire Post by the government watchdogs through the Freedom of Information Act.

A spokesman for SCSWIS said: “People using care services deserve to receive the highest standards of care and be treated with dignity and respect at all times.

“SCSWIS expects all service providers to deliver good quality care and we will not hesitate to take action with any service that fails to meet these expectations.”