A TROUBLED nursing home has been banned from admitting new residents amid concerns about the level of care there.
The Care Commission has slapped the ban on Tranent Nursing Home, in East Lothian, after it failed to take action in the wake of a formal warning.
It said Southern Cross Healthcare, the owner and the UK's largest care home provider, had not addre
ssed concerns about staff, inadequate training and falling standards of care.
The home houses around 50 residents and is one of the largest in the Lothians.
The ban last week follows several months of monitoring after an improvement notice was served on the home last October.
A spokeswoman for Southern Cross Healthcare said it was co-operating with the Care Commission and was committed to making improvements.
The commission had highlighted problems with nutrition, bed-sore prevention, handling and the care of people with dementia. It said some residents were not getting adequate food or were not given help eating and drinking.
It also found there were problems with treating wounds, and many of the mattresses were unfit for use.
At some times, there were insufficient numbers of staff and the home had experienced difficulty recruiting new care staff.
The commission ordered the home to carry out a review of staff training and recruitment policies. A voluntary ban on new admissions was lifted in February this year, but last month inspectors found standards had slipped again.
The death of one 86-year-old resident last year had sparked a police investigation, but no charges were brought.
A Care Commission spokesman said it was rare for an enforcement of this type to be issued..
He said: "We can confirm that as no appeal has been made against the Conditions Notice served by the Care Commission, Tranent Care Home is no longer allowed to admit new residents.
"This action is the result of ongoing concerns over the quality of care at Tranent Care Home following the Improvement Notice that was served in October 2007.
"We are continuing to monitor this home and expect to carry out an inspection in due course to ensure necessary improvements to achieve the required care standards are being made."
Inspectors are planning an unannounced inspection within the next few weeks to assess whether improvements have taken place.
East Lothian Council arranged a meeting of more than 30 relatives, Care Commission representatives and Southern Cross officials to address concerns about the ban.
A spokeswoman said: "The council remains very concerned regarding the level of care and service at the home. We are monitoring the implementation of the required improvements, as laid down by the Care Commission, and we are in regular contact with the home owners."
A spokeswoman for Tranent Nursing Home said: "We agreed with the Care Commission to put the ban on new admissions in place. We are fully co-operating with the Care Commission to address the improvements required."
The home, with room for 60 residents, was opened in 1996.
The full article contains 502 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
