Rhoda’s care home call is rejected

Mrs Grant raised fears for five cares homes in her constituency, which are going on the market.

Moss Park at Fort William, Blair Buidhe in Stornoway, Castle Gardens in Invergordon, Cradlehall in Inverness, and Kintyre in Argyll, are among 52 being sold by HC-One, the UK’s largest care homes company.

The Highlands & Islands MSP wrote to Jeane Freeman, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, asking the government if it would take the homes under public ownership.

And now, the government has issued the MSP with a reply stating it does not believe nationalisation would address the problems lying at the heart of the care home sector.

Pointing to an independent review of Adult Social Care in Scotland, the reply written on behalf of the “over-stretched” health secretary by Gillian Barclay, the Scottish Government’s deputy director of Social Care and Delivery Division, said evidence within it suggested nationalisation would “not in and off itself” improve outcomes for people using care.

Mrs Grant said this would be a blow for home staff, residents and their families, but has vowed to continue to press for the need.

She believes transferring ownership to the NHS would give security to residents, relatives and the staff who care for them.

Mrs Grant said: “We will keep the pressure on the Scottish Government to bring those five care homes, and others, under public ownership