A former footballer with advanced dementia has been moved out of a Broughty Ferry care home after “unexplained bruises” were found on his body.
Ex-Forfar Athletic centre-back Alex Brash, 69, famously scored against Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden in 1982 and played more than 400 games for the Angus side.
In 2015, the Dundonian was diagnosed with dementia, which later advanced to a stage where his wife Jan, 67, could no longer look after him.
Medics believe former Raith Rovers and Brechin City player Alex’s football career may have been a factor in his illness.
In March 2023 the family – including sons Mark, 44, and Kris, 41 – decided he should live at Lochleven Care Home on Lawers Drive in Panmurefield.
Former footballer moved from Broughty Ferry care home after complaint
Seventeen months later, after a string of complaints by Jan, the family moved him to Kingsway Care in Dundee after a persistent eye infection failed to clear up.
The Care Inspectorate has since upheld a number of complaints made about Alex’s care.
Jan told The Courier: “We thought it was the best fit as it’s only 10 minutes from home so I can walk to it from my house.
“That was the worst decision we have ever made.”
Jan says Alex’s experience at Lochleven has been “awful from the beginning”.
Despite complaining about several issues, she says no improvements were made.
She said: “Every time we went in he had bruises on his arms but nobody knew why he had them.
“These were serious bruises.”
She also reported his toenails had become overgrown with little evidence of them being cut.
Alex’s legs were also found to be swollen.
Jan said: “We used to go in there four times a week.
“As a family, we all went at different times because we knew he wasn’t being cared for properly.”
Care Inspectorate critical of Broughty Ferry care home
The Care Inspectorate upheld complaints about communication, inadequate foot care and unexplained bruising.
Its report said communication between Lochleven Care Home and Alex’s family had “broken down” and the messaging “was not always effective”.
It continued: “There were only two records of Mr Brash’s nails being checked daily.
“It was unclear what staff were checking for and what support he required.
“Mr Brash did have unexplained bruising on his arms.
“The body maps and records of bruising had not always been completed fully.”
The Care Inspectorate added that measures to help manage Alex’s stress and distress “were not always used or reviewed effectively to guide staff practice to keep Mr Brash and others safe”.
The report said: “The deputy manager was not aware of the skills, experience and training of the agency workers allocated to Mr Brash’s one-to-one assistance.
“The service should improve staff skills, knowledge and understanding of appropriate approaches to supporting people experiencing stress and distress.”
Lochleven Care Home ‘satisfied it acted appropriately’
Accommodation at Lochleven Care Home cost Jan £1,200 per month, with another £1,200 funded by Angus Council.
Jan says Alex’s condition has improved significantly since he moved to Kingsway Care in October.
But his bed there is only temporary.
Lochleven Care Home has made a series of improvements to its Care Inspectorate ratings in recent months.
A spokesperson for the home said: “To ensure the safety and wellbeing of Mr Brash, our residents and our staff, it was agreed he would be moved to a different facility.
“This transition was carried out in conjunction with a range of additional healthcare partners.
“While we understand how distressing this change must have been for his family, we are satisfied that we acted appropriately and will continue to work with regulators to uphold the highest standards of care.”
Conversation