NOTEBOOK: Back of beyond complex for special needs adults is facing closure

NOTEBOOK by BILL HEANEY

There is no surprise that Baxter View, a residential facility built for vulnerable people with special needs and mental health problems on a remote site above Garshake in Dumbarton, is being earmarked for closure.

Common sense went out the window when West Dunbartonshire Council gave planning permission for the premises to be built by the Cornerstone charity.

It was a stupid place to create a facility such as this since it was up near the old waterworks above Garshake and at the foot of the Long Crags where residents of this complex might wander off into the night – or even in broad daylight – and could easily get lost.

Predictably the basket case Health and Social Care Committee which operates in tandem with West Dunbartonshire Council and was formed by the SNP government had a hand in the matter.

Just as they had with the mucked up financing of the Pavilion Cafe in Levengrove Park; the unjust sacking of a Dumbarton GP, which was overturned by an employment tribunal, and the siting of Crosslet House care home, again up at the back of beyond.

Fortunately, Baxter View, named after a person most local folk will never have heard of an d who most probably wouldn’t like their name with it, received an unannounced four-day inspection in August.

Their report has now been published and concerns have been raised about residents’ missed medication and shut-off water, which seems to be used as a punishment these days for people out of step with the operators of some public institutions.

The Care Inspectorate visited the facility in August and reported that its inspectors were “very concerned about aspects of the care being provided.”

The report published on October 1, states that the August inspection failed to meet four requirements which were issued at the previous inspection in November last year.

Following this, the complex was served with an improvement notice on August 29 which revealed that they risk having their “registration cancelled” if they do not fulfil key aims by November 25.

The service provides housing support to over 18 tenants with learning disabilities, autism or acquired brain injuries living in their own homes.

The report rated the complex as ‘unsatisfactory’ in every assessed area, including whether it supports people’s well-being.

The inspectors spoke with six people using the service, family members, staff, management and professionals before looking at documentation, observing daily life and reviewing surveys.

Amongst the highlighted issues was out-of-date guidance for staff responses to residents’ stress and distress which meant staff response was inconsistent.

Examples given in the report of this event included turning off water and locking away personal items, rooms or places.

It reads: “Restrictive practice was widely used in terms of people being ‘told’ to go back to their flats, areas and possessions being locked away. Two people had access to water in their own homes turned off by staff.

“Some restrictions meant that people had to leave their flats and go outdoors to alert staff that they required support with personal care or to flush their toilet.”

There were several occasions of medication not being available, some incorrect doses and some missed medications.

One example given was a resident who had missed multiple doses of short-term antibiotics on more than one occasion.

The document stated: “This issue was further impacted by the high ratio of agency staff who were working at the service.

“We could see that the local health and social care partnership had offered staff training and that the service had been completing inductions and observations for agency staff.

“However, concerns regarding medication and effective monitoring remained high.”

Further concerns include poorly recorded documentation, welfare and safety, gaps in staff training and out-of-date care plans.

The Health and Social Care Partnership, the Council and Cornerstone were warned before a brick was laid at these premises that staff recruitment would be a major problem because of the “back of beyond” location and the fact that no public transport services operated in that area.

In response to having the comments in the damning Care Commission report put to her, Hazel Brown, chief executive of Cornerstone, said : “We have received the recent report from the Care Inspectorate which follows on from their inspection on Baxter View in August 2024, and have taken immediate steps to meet the requirements outlined.

“The health, wellbeing and safety of all the people we support is an absolute priority for Cornerstone and we are disappointed by the gradings which fall well below our exacting standards. We take the report findings very seriously and are committed to making the necessary improvements within the specified timelines.

“Leadership changes and significant additional staff training are already impacting positively, helping us to deliver safe, person-centred care supported by appropriate care planning, risk assessment, medication and audit processes.

“We are committed to working collaboratively to achieve compliance with all regulatory requirements and will use the recommendations of the report to help us improve; delivering enhanced opportunities and well-being outcomes for the people we support in close consultation with them, their families, our colleagues, partners and our Board.”

What a load of spin doctoring waffle that is.

This initiative was never going to work for anyone apart from the people who would be making money from it.

Local authority care homes such as Crosslet House were built to replace the much missed care homes in the community at least one of which was sold to a private operator with a dodgy reputation. Our generous Council gave them a £250,000 discount.

You couldn’t make this stuff up.

Top of page picture: The controversial Cornerstone facility when it was under construction high in the hills at Garshake.