A LARGE care home firm has been condemned after reports said that they are effectively charging residents for accommodation after they have died.
The Care Concern Group, which has 44 homes across Scotland, states fees are liable for up to three days after a death.
Relatives told The Herald, however, that weeks of advance charges – more than £6000 in at least one case – have been withheld at a care home in Edinburgh. The investigation also found that some families are waiting up to four months to be refunded.
Hugh Mclean’s mother Margaret stayed at one of the group’s care homes in Edinburgh, Trinity House, before she died in November last year.
McLean had no complaints over her care but £4000 of fees taken after she died had caused “additional distress” at an already tough time for his family.
On social media, he said: “It is now 120 days or four months since mum’s passing and despite numerous phone calls and emails over the course of that time, Care Concern still hold our funds with no obvious intention to repay them.
“The length of time taken along with the protracted communication has caused us additional distress at this most difficult time.”
“It should be noted that under the care home’s terms and conditions if you are late in paying then an interest penalty of 3% over Bank of England base rate is applied, some 7% in total – I doubt if we’ll see the same backdated element.”
McLean said he was considering legal action. However, after The Herald contacted the group, the fees were released back to the family.
Reviews on the home’s website show McLean’s experience at Trinity House was not an isolated incident, with one person saying the home took a full month of fees after their relative’s death and spoke of the “untold distress” it caused.
Another said the home charged £6500 for a room that was no longer occupied, and four months later no refund had gone through.
“We also signed the permission agreement that no photos were to be shared of our relative on any of your platforms,” they said.
"And yet on the 22nd September, you posted an image of my relative on your social media page when they had died two weeks earlier.
“This was unprofessional, unethical, and hurtful and we are still awaiting your formal written apology.”
A spokeswoman for Trinity Care Home said it was “the first time” McLean’s concerns were brought to the home’s attention.
"We have escalated this today to the relevant department and we are hoping to have a quick resolve for Mr McLean.”
This new revelation comes after SNP leadership hopeful Kate Forbes expressed doubt about the necessity of a National Care Service for Scotland, stating she would potentially reconsider her government's flagship policy.
Criticism of the legislation has been increasing in recent months, with MSPs, councils, unions, and carers' charities all calling for a pause.
The policy, which was introduced by Forbes's rival for the leadership, Humza Yousaf, in Holyrood last June, involves the establishment of "care boards" that will be accountable to Scottish Ministers and will take on the functions and staff currently managed by local authorities and health boards.
Groups representing staff and users of the new service have also expressed the need for significantly more time to implement the legislation.
