Care home repair complaint lodged

A complaint has been lodged about the condition of Dunmuir Park

A charity group has lodged a formal complaint about the condition of a council care home in southern Scotland.

The grievance claims social work bosses have failed to act despite repeated calls for improvements at the Dunmuir Park facility in Castle Douglas.

The Friends of Dunmuir Park have complained to the Care Commission about the situation.

A statement from Dumfries and Galloway Council said it would thoroughly investigate the issues raised.

The Dunmuir Park home provides long-term and respite care for adults with learning disabilities.

The last inspection of the local authority unit was carried out by the Care Commission eight months ago.

At that time, the level of care and support provided by the staff was found to be good but the standard of accommodation was described as poor.

Faulty fixtures

As well as the fabric of the building, concern was raised about faulty fixtures and fittings including seating, and the apparent lack of any significant council investment in maintenance.

The Friends of Dunmuir Park claim that social work management has failed to carry out the basic works required despite repeated requests.

The group's chairwoman, Mary Sproat, has written to the council's chief executive, Gavin Stevenson, asking him to investigate the matter.

In a written statement, Dumfries and Galloway Council confirmed it had received the complaint from the Friends of Dunmuir Park.

The authority said it took all complaints seriously and had set procedures in place to investigate the issues raised.

The council will also liaise with the Care Commission and said it would respond directly to the Friends of Dunmuir Park in due course.

A spokesperson said the authority would not comment on allegations made against individual officers.