Dundee mum's care home treatment to be looked at 'urgently'

Social care leaders plan to ‘urgently’ discuss the report into a care home’s mistreatment of a Dundee mum before she died.

The family of Heather Jordan shared the agony of their mum’s final days, urging others to keep a close check on loved ones in care homes.

Now Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership have been made aware of the complaints, about Ballumbie Court care home, upheld by the Care Inspectorate.

Heather’s daughter Kerry Whyte and grandaughter Brooke Young are calling for the home to be closed, following the the 77-year-old’s shocking treatment.

Heather Jordan passed away in October at Ballumbie Court care home. Image: Kerry Whyte.

This included open wounds often left untreated; access to fluids in the home being limited and poor end of life pain relief and care.

Complaints about Heather’s personal care; failure to remove broken furnishings, posing risks to residents; and staff practice and attitude, were also upheld.

The family gave permission for us to share graphic images, below, showing how Heather’s health deteriorated during her year at Ballumbie Court.

‘This shouldn’t happen to anyone else’

Kerry, 50, says: “We’ve been contacted by so many people online and in private messages. Including from concerned staff who left Ballumbie Court.

“Some of the staff at Ballumbie were fantastic.

“But we’d urge people with family members in care homes to look at care plans. And keep an eye on things.

Wounds on Heather’s legs were found to have often been left untreated.

The horrific wound on Heather’s leg which became septic.

“I have to speak out. We need to keep going to stop this happening to anyone else. I can’t have that.”

Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership says ‘a number’ of people under their social care supervision have ‘opted to reside at Ballumbie Court’.

They did not provide further detail. Or advise whether they intend to remove the home from their care provider referrals list following the report.

‘Home should be shut’

Kerry says: “We think the home should be shut. Or at least referrals should be stopped, or the home should get new management or owners.”

Brooke, 22, adds: “The thing that got me most reading the report was we’d keep saying to Gran please stop itching your legs.

Heather’s toenails were left uncared for for many months. Images: Kerry Whyte.

“All that time she was supposed to be getting cream on her legs multiple times a day. But in a year there’s only one record of her getting it.

“How many times have complaints been made and reports written and nothing changes?”

Ballumbie Court is owned by care company HC-One which runs a dozen care homes across Dundee, Angus, Fife and Perthshire.

The Care Inspectorate has upheld 11 complaints at Ballumbie Court since 2016.

Ballumbie Court Care Home, Ballumbie Road, Dundee. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DCT Media.

A spokesperson for the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Anyone assessed by the partnership as requiring a care home is given the opportunity to choose where they are placed.

‘Relatives can raise concerns’

“And a number of people have opted to reside at Ballumbie Care Home.

“Every care home resident has an allocated review officer they can contact at any time, and who will carry out placement reviews.

“Residents, relatives and visitors can also raise any concerns they may have about any aspect of the care being provided.

‘Matter of urgency’

“We have been made aware of the outcome of the Care Inspectorate investigation into this matter.

“Regular multi-agency meetings take place to discuss the operation of care homes.

“And the Care Inspectorate’s findings from Ballumbie will be discussed as a matter of urgency.”

A spokesperson for Ballumbie Court said: “First and foremost, we offer our heartfelt condolences to Mrs Jordan’s family and loved ones.

‘Deeply sorry several areas of care fell short’

“The health, safety and wellbeing of our residents are our highest priorities, and we are deeply sorry that on this occasion several areas of Mrs Jordan’s care fell short of the standards which we usually deliver, and which Mrs Jordan and her family rightfully deserved and expected.

“We co-operated fully with the investigation carried out by the Care Inspectorate and have acted on the findings of both our internal investigation and the report produced by the Care Inspectorate.

“We have implemented a comprehensive action plan at the home to resolve these matters going forward, and we are continuing to work closely with the home team and Care Inspectorate to make improvements where necessary to support our colleagues to provide the best care possible for all the residents in our home.”

A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate told us: “We are now conducting a final review of our findings. We will not comment further at this stage.”