Care home where gran died should close for good, says family

A WOMAN whose grandmother died in a nursing home ordered to make urgent changes to the way it cares for elderly residents has called on inspectors to close the facility completely.
Nadine Calder holds aloft a photograph of her gran Mima and family. Picture: Jon SavageNadine Calder holds aloft a photograph of her gran Mima and family. Picture: Jon Savage
Nadine Calder holds aloft a photograph of her gran Mima and family. Picture: Jon Savage

Nadine Calder revealed how her gran Jemima “suffered in agony” when she was supposed to be receiving palliative care at the Springfield Bank Nursing Home in Bonnyrigg before passing away from pneumonia in 2015 – less than three weeks after becoming a resident at the home.

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Ms Calder, 24, alleged staff refused to give the 82-year-old any pain relief, regularly left her lying in her own urine and allowed her to miss meal times in a complaint to the care inspectorate shortly after her death.

Springfield Bank care home in Cockpen Crescent, Bonnyrigg has been the subject of a recent poor performance report. Picture: TSPLSpringfield Bank care home in Cockpen Crescent, Bonnyrigg has been the subject of a recent poor performance report. Picture: TSPL
Springfield Bank care home in Cockpen Crescent, Bonnyrigg has been the subject of a recent poor performance report. Picture: TSPL
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Industry regulators gave the owners of the home – healthcare giant HC-One – five months to change its practices, however Ms Calder said she heard nothing about any improvements, alleging bosses “didn’t even apologise”.

Her comments come just days after a damning inspection report found evidence of a “large degree of neglect” towards residents at the home.

Ms Calder recalled visiting the home on one occasion with family members to find her grandmother “wet through” in her bed.

Springfield Bank care home in Cockpen Crescent, Bonnyrigg has been the subject of a recent poor performance report. Picture: TSPLSpringfield Bank care home in Cockpen Crescent, Bonnyrigg has been the subject of a recent poor performance report. Picture: TSPL
Springfield Bank care home in Cockpen Crescent, Bonnyrigg has been the subject of a recent poor performance report. Picture: TSPL

She added: “She could no longer feed herself, so she needed someone to be with her, to help her – but that never happened, they just kept putting plates in front of her and when she didn’t eat them, they took it away.

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“I remember on one occasion, the manager told us we could no longer visit her in the living room because it was a ‘trip hazard’ for the rest of the residents.”

Ms Calder also recalled the “heartbreaking” final week of her grandmother’s life, when she was released back to the home after receiving hospital treatment.

She revealed family visits often found Jemima in an “appalling” state, accusing staff of “a complete lack of care”.

She said: “I kept telling them she was clearly in absolute agony, that she was drowning in her own lungs, but they did not want to listen, they refused to give her any pain relief.

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“It was just heartbreaking. You can’t leave a human being to die in pain.”

A spokesman for HC-One said: “We are sorry the high standard of care we pride ourselves on was not delivered in this instance.”

“The care inspectorate has seen progress is being made and we are continuing to work to make further improvements.

“We look forward to welcoming the inspectorate back in the near future to demonstrate the progress we have made.”

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