Letters: Neglect fears make elderly dread being put into care

As a former social worker and a retired registered nurse, who for more than 30 years was involved with the care of the elderly and disabled, I am shocked at the revelations in the News regarding the Elsie Inglis care home.

The people who are directly responsible should be interviewed to ascertain what training they were given to perform the tasks which were allocated to them before any action is taken.

The trained staff (ie registered nurses or qualified social workers) have a "duty of care" to ensure that all treatments and care are carried out in an acceptable manner and where it is not, to ensure that management is immediately informed and instructing the carer on how they are malfunctioning.

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If the observations of the trained staff are ignored or not treated seriously then the trained staff have a duty to report this to their regulating body, Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland, and also in the case of registered nurses to the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

I am nearly into my 76th year and dread the thought that I shall ever be put in a home.

WM Irvine, St Martin's Gate, Haddington, East Lothian

City has done its best with sums

IT was surprising to read Andrew Burns' views on the education front and his criticism of the closure of several primary schools (News, June 2).

It is a sad fact of life that when any school falls below a certain level of capacity, it makes no economic sense to continue (and Edinburgh has seen this happen with a private school too).

It was very unfortunate that the previous few Labour council administrations buried their heads in the sand and ignored the need for closure of certain schools, where the number of pupils had fallen considerably. It was left to the current administration to address a long-standing problem that should have been tackled many years earlier.

Mr Burns also stated that "not one single brick has been laid for a new school in the city" - yet Jenny Dawe mentioned the 83.5 million spent on providing better schools including Boroughmuir, Portobello and James Gillespie's high schools in her article. Personally I saw the new Tynecastle and Broughton high schools throughout their construction periods, both opening up within the last two years.

Mr Burns was also critical of housing policy, yet the council is building the first new council houses for a generation. The council has had to make tough decisions over the last few years, with the SNP effectively reducing income, but appears to have struck the right balance between sound financial management and investing where appropriate in new housing and schools.It should be remembered that the previous council regime was removed when it had little to show for its time in office, despite having greater finances to utilise.

M Gray, Craigleith, Edinburgh

Prices behind the demise of pubs

THE only thing that's responsible for pubs closing down is not the smoking ban that Paul Waterson suggests (News, June 6), but the absolutely disgraceful price punters are being charged for their hard-earned pint.

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The government and the breweries are at fault for the demise of the pub trade because of the price increases over the last few years, and no amount of fag smoke will help revive the pub trade.

John Fraser, Musselburgh

Children running amok unchecked

WHY am I not surprised at the schools in Niddrie being vandalised (News, June 3)?

Children in many places have been running amok for years with no-one to check them. The mothers couldn't care less.

I have run the gauntlet taking my dog for a walk. I've been spat on and threatened and the animals threatened too.

Such children are not frightened of the police and are a law unto themselves.

Name and address supplied

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