BBC Scotland’s intrepid investigative reporters haven’t thought to check up on inspections of the Home Farm care home in Portree after a covid-19 outbreak affected nearly all of the residents and half of the staff.
They have, strangely, invented a new type of care home – ‘independent’ as an alternative to ‘private’. I suppose ‘private’ can suggesting money-grubbing can’t it?
The owners, HC-One also own Tranent Care Home (9 deaths) and Castleview in Dumbarton (8 deaths).
He is a summary of the two Home Farm inspections in 2019:
https://www.careinspectorate.com/index.php/care-services?detail=CS2011300714
Though infection control is not in the above summary it is in the full report:
With particular regard to the crucial, at this time, infection control, in the January 24 report on the November 2019 inspection:
This requirement resulted from an upheld complaint. People experiencing care should have confidence in the organisation and infection control policies and procedures are adhered to ensuring people are not at risk. In order to achieve this the provider must ensure. The environment is hygienically cleaned to an acceptable standard and all areas are malodour free. Cleaning protocols in all areas of the premises must be adhered to and regular deep cleaning is carried out.
To be completed by 31 December 2019. The timescale for completion has been extended to 31 March 2020.
NOT MET
With regard to the ‘weak’ staff team:
This requirement resulted from an upheld complaint. The provider must always ensure that suitably qualified and competent persons are working in the care service in such numbers as are appropriate for the health, welfare and safety of service users. In order to achieve this the provider must ensure that:
Staffing levels match or exceed the level assessed as necessary ensuring all people’s needs are being met.
Housekeeping staff levels must be appropriate so that cleaning schedules are consistently adhered to throughout the premises ensuring there is always a clean malodour free environment.
NOT MET
https://www.careinspectorate.com/index.php/care-services?detail=CS2011300714
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Running any organisation under staffed
Is one of the most effective ways of enhancing the profit level.dividends and directors bonuses
If continually run as such they know full well that in what they think that it is only a highly likely event that the consequences will be catastophic
But GREED and a misplaced of entitlement drives the horses on as they apply the crudest of whips
This blinds them to such consequences
Along with the knowledge that the law can be overcome by the inherent fault lines in the system
Such overall is NEVER the way to success
And that is why the UK IS FAILING
Nothing more Nothing less because that is the web the spider of power weaves
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How did the virus get into the home in the first place? Skye did not seem to be reporting any cases until a few days ago. Who carried it to the island?
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The use of the word “independent” has entered the BBC Scotland reporting, but only as a word. There is no investigation into what it actually entails – perhaps things like, responsibilities of owners, profit margins, working conditions, staff remuneration.
In today’s report on GMS a representative of an ‘independent’ group was interviewed, rather unchallengingly, indeed, ‘understandigly’. The care workers reported on were peripatetic ones – whether they were part of a charitable body/voluntary body or a private business was not made clear.
In an earlier part of the programme there was a report about some suppliers ‘profiteering’ with regard to PPE. This seemed to be being put forward as a possible ‘get -out’ for the ‘independent’ sector.
Increases in prices could have (at least) two plausible explanations:
1. Supply and demand – low supply + high demand = higher prices and that is usually presented by the media as “good business”. And, since many of the backers of this government are hedge fund owners, which actually specialise in rigging supply to force up prices, the BBC did not go there.
2. Given that this is a world-wide crisis, the demand will, undoubtedly be high and, in order to produce a greater supply, the businesses involved might have had to take on more workers and, possibly, even pay them higher rates, so these producers will have increased their costs and so that profits and dividends are ‘safeguarded’, the price goes up. Again, no examination of this.
Why is the GMB not on our screens and radios making arguments AGAINST such and economic model and attacking owners, rather than ex-Labour candidates Gary Smith and Rhea Wolfson attacking the SG?
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