AN interim application to suspend the registration of the Skye care home at the centre of a fatal coronavirus outbreak has been dropped, a court has heard.
Ten residents died in the outbreak at Home Farm in Portree that devastated the island.
NHS Highland took over its operation and court action against private owners HC-One was launched in March by the Care Inspectorate.
Yesterday a court heard the bid to suspend the operator’s registration in the interim has been dropped as residents are no longer at risk.
But, after the hearing, authorities said they still want HC-One’s registration cancelled for good.
Appearing via video link to the Inverness Sheriff Court, David Logan, representing the petitioners, said questions remain over who will operate the home in the long-term and said that must be established before further decisions are made.
He said: “In the last 48 hours there has been a further inspection carried out of the home and although that inspection did raise some issues in relation to the use of PPE [personal protective equipment] and indeed the storage of some medicine, it’s not maintained by the petitioners that the position is that people are currently seriously at risk in terms of their health.”
Malcolm Gunnyeon, representing HC-One, said the home is being run as a partnership between it and NHS Highland.
Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald said the application for interim suspension will be dropped and set a further procedural hearing for August.
Responding, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Kate Forbes said: “The latest development regarding Home Farm demonstrates how seriously the Care Inspectorate are taking the standards of care and also how instrumental NHS Highland’s involvement has been to date. The residents continue to get the highest possible care, and NHS Highland continues to play a leadership and management role at Home Farm.
“I am confident that NHS Highland will not walk away and are committed to sustaining high levels of care at Home Farm over the long term.”
The Care Inspectorate said while it “noted some improvements” in the quality of care experienced by residents, it still has concerns. It is “visiting regularly” and is “continuing to seek the cancellation of the providers registration through the court”.
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