ELDERLY residents in an East Renfrewshire care home were left in pain without medicine, by untrained staff, who sat on their phones rather than attending to their needs, according to an official report.

Greenlaw Grove Care Home in Newton Mearns is now facing closure over fears that residents are not safe, and a court in Hamilton will today hear an application from the Care Inspectorate to cancel its registration.

A report on the home by the inspectorate, last August, recorded that residents who needed medicine at tea time and at night were being given doses so close together their health was endangered. Analgesic medication was often out of stock so some residents could not be offered adequate pain relief. Residents with continence problems were left in their own waste for up to half an hour at a time.

Kitchens were dirty and untidy, with glasses left uncleaned so residents had to wait for drinks, and there were “gaps” in infection control.

Relatives told inspectors bread served was “like polystyrene”, and residents were fed up with a diet of sandwiches and pasta. They said there were not enough staff and one resident said they had had to "learn patience".

The report, which rated the home unsatisfactory on every measure, demanded changes ahead of a follow up visit in November and a further inspection this month.

Although the findings from the latest inspection are yet to be published, the Care Inspectorate is understood to have been so concerned by the lack of progress that it is applying to have the home closed down. The case will come before Hamilton Sheriff Court for an initial hearing today [Weds].

East Renfrewshire council has cancelled its contract with the care home, in light of the inspectorate's findings and plans are being made to move residents to new accommodation.

A spokesman for the Care Inspectorate said: “In August 2017 we identified serious concerns at Greenlaw Grove care home, with an inspection showing an unacceptable quality of care, leadership, staffing and environment.

“We served a formal improvement notice but despite extensive involvement and support from the East Renfrewshire health and social care partnership, and inspectors, we are not satisfied that sufficient progress has been made by this care provider.

“We have therefore applied to the sheriff court in Hamilton to close the care home under section 65 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010."

Such action was not taken lightly but was "essential" to protect the health and safety of residents, the spokesman said.

He added: "“We realise this is a difficult and worrying time for residents and their families and will continue to work with the partnership and the care provider to ensure that suitable alternative care arrangements are put in place and to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of residents during the coming weeks remains paramount.”

A spokeswoman for the East Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership said: “We have had ongoing concerns about the standard of care at Greenlaw Grove. “Since the Care Inspectorate dropped its grades and placed an improvement notice on the home in August 2017, we have made a significant effort, alongside fellow local authorities and the Care Inspectorate, to work with the provider and encourage them to make the required improvements.

Increased monitoring had been put in place, liaising with care home managers, residents and families, she said. “Despite this, care standards remain poor and inconsistent and not of the quality we expect from care homes operating in East Renfrewshire. Following a recent inspection, the Care Inspectorate has also indicated the likelihood that grades will remain at one – the lowest possible - and that they are applying for an emergency cancellation of registration."

As a result of ongoing concerns and the court action, the contract with the home was being cancelled, she said, adding: "We are aware this will be an upsetting and unsettling time for residents and their families, and we will continue to work with them and with the care home provider to ensure the wellbeing of all residents is sustained while alternative placements are found.”

A spokesman for Greenlaw Grove said the homes management did not believe cancelling the council contract was in the best interests of residents. He added: “We have made and continue to make substantive progress against our improvement plan, and will continue to liaise with East Renfrewshire Council to find the most productive way forward for our residents. In the meantime we are considering all of our legal options.

“We’re sorry for the distress experienced by families during this time, and we will provide every assistance to anyone who wishes to relocate relatives.”