FURTHER allegations over the quality of care at a nursing home have been made by families upset about how their elderly relatives have been treated.

Hillview Nursing Home, at Eston, near Middlesbrough, has already been told by the industry's watchdog that it cannot admit new residents until improvements have been made and a multi-agency action plan is implemented.

The Northern Echo has previously reported on families upset at the standard of care, including poor record keeping and mistakes in giving poorly residents oxygen.

A Care Quality Commission inspection said enforcement action was needed in record keeping and management of medicines at the home.

Bupa has said that it has made a series of changes at the home and has developed a new 'early warning system' to quickly identify any concerns about residents.

Now two more families have told of their dissatisfaction at the care provided at Hillview.

Lynnda Thomas said that her mother, Ruby Holmes, who had lung cancer, died aged 93 in the home after a five day stay last year.

She claimed:

* her mother fell and badly hurt her leg on the first night, but no-one came to help.

* Mrs Holmes never received a bath or body wash during her stay.

* She had no care plan, or at least it was never found.

* Mrs Holmes didn’t receive oxygen as prescribed and no details of her medication was provided to her family.

Mrs Thomas, of Wilton Village, near Redcar, said: “I did get an apology in the end, but I just wanted my mam to get decent care.”

Donald McKenzie, whose mother Dorothy Jean McKenzie, died in the home last month aged 89, said she was given two doses of insulin by mistake. That was caused by the fact no-one had kept a record of the first dose.

He added that drugs were left in Mrs McKenzie’s room in a cup while her small grandchild and other residents wandered in and out. She was sent to hospital in just her vest and pants despite complaining of feeling cold.

Mr McKenzie said: “We know going to The Echo won’t help us, but hopefully it make other people aware of continuing problems.”

A Bupa spokesman said: “We’ve worked hard, with support from our specialist advisers, and have made a series of changes in the home. These include improvements to our care planning system, a new-early warning system to identify concerns about residents’ health and holding regular meetings with residents and their families. Our residents and their families have commented on the improvements made at the home.”

Meanwhile Bupa has apologised to another family who believe a Facebook message by a former member of staff, and 'liked' by current staff members, referred to their father who was a Hillview resident.

The message was below a photograph of Peter Browne, a widower and father-of-two, who was 90 when he died last month. It said he was “a nightmare” who was “violent to staff” and “swore all the time.”

Mr Browne's son, also Peter, said: "My family have been greatly offended by these comments."

A spokesman for Bupa said: “No individual was named in the Facebook posts, but we have apologised to a family who believed it referred to their relative.”