Care home inquiry over OAP 'dead since February'

David Hay at the sheltered housing complex in Gillespie Crescent

Margaret McLean, 66, who died of heart disease at the complex in Bruntsfield's Gillespie Crescent, was only found after residents reported a smell coming from her home.

Her brother, Ian McLean, said that Viewpoint Housing Association, which runs the facility, had told him that sensors designed to detect a lack of movement inside her flat "may not have been working".

It has led worried residents to hold an urgent meeting to demand a response from the firm, which has launched an investigation.

Mr McLean, 60, a machine operator, said: "The police told me she had probably died sometime in February and had been lying for about two and half weeks.

"I think it's terrible that she could be left lying for that long. If they thought the alarm system wasn't working they should have got it fixed. Somewhere along the line it should've got done.

"I'm not entirely blaming them because my sister was a very independent person. She might not have let them in to fix it if they tried. She didn't like the staff and they may have just let her be."

Mr McLean, who lives in Newton Stewart in Wigtownshire where Mrs McLean was originally from, said he hoped the funeral could be held "as soon as possible" to lay her to rest. He added: "She's waited long enough".

Viewpoint staff found the body of the pensioner, who had mobility problems, at around 11am on March 15 after a neighbour reported a strong smell coming from Mrs McLean's second-floor flat.

It is understood that police believe she may have died around February 26, but friends and relatives think she may have lain for even longer.

Her local newsagent contacted the complex in mid-February after growing concerned that she had not been to the shop since February 3, while one of his paperboys believed newspapers were piling up on her mat.

A staff member told the newsagent they had checked and Mrs McLean was "fine".

David Hay, 70, who lives at the complex is the chairman of the Viewpoint Tenants Representation Group for Edinburgh and Fife.

He said: "We had a meeting on Friday because some people are distressed, especially those living on their own.

"We had a vote and decided to reject Viewpoint's offer of compiling a written report about it and demanded management came down to see us in person.

"The residents want answers because they don't want this to happen again."

Alexander Davidson, 89, a retired landscape gardener, who also lives in the complex, said: "It's ridiculous that she could've been left for so long. We are paying to receive a level of care, but that doesn't seem to happen."A lot of people are worried the same could happen to them."

A spokeswoman for Viewpoint Housing Association said: "We are carrying out an investigation into the incident and our priority for now is to gather the facts and work with the family to support them.

"It's a rare situation for something like this to happen, and we are working with the authorities. There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and it would be speculation to say she had lain there for some time."