Peterculter care home announces closure after inspection raised 'serious' concerns

A care home in Aberdeenshire has announced its closure after an inspection raised “serious and significant” concerns.

Tigh a’Chomainn, a charity that provides residential care for eight adults with learning disabilities and complex additional support needs, announced on Friday it is to cease operations.

The home in Peterculter has 25 members of staff, including six volunteers and three bank staff.

The closure comes after the Care Inspectorate raised “serious and significant” concerns about the care provided at the facility last month.

An improvement notice was set out by the watchdog to develop and implement infection protocol by August 4, with other recommendations made over staff training and management procedures.

The charity said it hopes to have transitioned the adults to new homes within the next 12 weeks, after which the house will close.

However, it admitted it was unable to meet the “high standards” expected to remain open.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “Following a challenging period, we have taken the difficult decision to close our doors.

“The health and wellbeing of the adults we support is always our priority, and despite our best efforts, we are currently unable to meet the high standards that both we and the authorities expect.

“We are actively working to find suitable alternative residential care for the eight adults who live at Tigh a’Chomainn.

“We are liaising closely with the families and carers of the adults, the Care Inspectorate and Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership to help transition the adults to new homes in a way that causes as little disruption to them as possible.

“We would like to thank everyone for their patience, understanding, and guidance during what we know will be an unsettling time for the adults and their carers.”

A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said in July: “An inspection has identified serious and significant concerns about the quality of care experienced by residents at Tigh-A’Chomainn in Peterculter.

“We understand this is a difficult and distressing time for residents, their families and staff at the service.

“However, our first priority is always the health and wellbeing of residents.

“Because of our concerns we have issued an Improvement Notice to the service. This sets out the significant improvements that must be made within a specified timeframe.

“We are in contact with and monitoring the service to follow up on the required improvements.”