A leading charity which cares for homeless veterans has declined to hold a review into the conduct of its staff despite the number of people raising concerns now stretching well into double figures.
An investigation by The Courier revealed earlier this month how Scottish Veterans Residences (SVR) had been accused of serious misconduct and bullying at its Rosendael facility in Broughty Ferry and Whitefoord House in Edinburgh.
A total of 16 people have now come forward to speak out, including a former Sergeant Major, ex-servicemen honoured by The Queen, current residents, staff, families and a leading veterans’ care worker.
The Care Inspectorate has also launched fresh investigations into the charity in the wake of the story and has been liaising with adult support and protection workers at a local authority level.
A number of current residents have reported that they are too scared to speak out for fear of being ostracised or evicted, and The Courier has seen emails sent to chief executive Phil Cox pleading for an anonymous whistleblowing service to be introduced.
Rosendael’s deputy manager Neil Stewart confirmed no investigation had yet taken place into any of the concerns raised, and Mr Cox said there were no plans to carry out a review or launch a formal whistleblowing service going forward.
Former Sergeant Major Charlie Reid, who was with The Black Watch for 22 years, said he was forced to reach out to bosses after growing concerned for veterans’ welfare at Rosendael.
“I sent an email to the chief executive to complain about some of the residents going without meals,” he said.
“One veteran told me he was cold because the radiator in his room didn’t work. When I went there, I discovered it hadn’t been working for months.
“It’s just a complete lack of respect. They’ve made it very clear that if you complain, you’re out the door.”
SVR claimed Mr Reid, who is a well known campaigner for The Black Watch across Tayside, had never stepped foot in Rosendael “as far as we know” but admitted visitor records had not been checked.
Bosses accepted that residents do sometimes go without meals but said welfare is consistently monitored.
Alastair McLean, 57, served in the royal army medical core before working as a qualified nurse with the Scottish Ambulance Service for more than 10 years.
Mr McLean, who lives in Broughty Ferry but stayed at Whitefoord House, said SVR were “absolutely disgraceful in every aspect of their so-called care”.
“I was there for just over three weeks and that was all I could take – I had to spend the last part sleeping in my car,” he said.
“When I arrived, I spent three-and-a-half hours cleaning my room and the filthy shower.
“There was mould everywhere and hair in the drains – I wouldn’t have a dog living there.”
Mr McLean claimed he raised the issue with staff at the front desk but SVR said it had no record of such a complaint being lodged.
“Full complaints procedure” already in place
Chief executive Phil Mr Cox rejected all of the 16 reports put forward as insubstantial to hold an investigation and insisted it was “not the charity I recognise”.
He added: “We have a complete process and it doesn’t need a whistleblowing service. There are so many different routes to talking to us that I’m not quite sure that would serve a purpose.
“Each house has a committee of management members who meet with residents on a regular basis and they sit down and talk about any issues or concerns, and then those individuals report back to the board.
“That’s one method of it being undertaken but there is also a full complaints procedure which ultimately can lead either to the Ombudsman or to the Care Inspectorate if we cant resolve the situation satisfactorily.”
Mr Cox confirmed no procedural changes were planned as a result of the concerns raised.
A spokesman for the Care Inspectorate said it was “looking into these matters carefully” and urged anyone with concerns to contact them directly, and anonymously if necessary.
Residents leap to defence of home
Residents at a Broughty Ferry veterans’ home have leapt to the defence of staff following allegations of serious misconduct and bullying.
Jason Hughes, who has been a resident at Rosendael since 2012, said: “I was homeless in London and it looked like I was going to be on drugs and stuff like that but I got the opportunity to come up to Rosendael and it pretty much saved my life.
“I got off the street and the psychological problems I had got dealt with. This place has been a godsend for me and without it, I probably wouldn’t be here now.”
Sandy Gibson, who took up a residency more than a decade ago, said:Â “This is unsupported living but we get support. I have PTSD and the support is always there.
“It doesn’t matter how many times I fall or hurt myself, Rosendael help you get up, brush it off and get on.
“There’s always a professional line drawn in the sand but the staff here are also my friends.”
Billy Monaghan moved into Rosendael in November and insisted he had received “nothing but help” since arriving.
He said: “I was sleeping in back gardens and sheds before I came here and I can tell you I’ve never been treated so good – apart from in the army of course.
“I’m happy, I’m really really happy. There’s a good group of guys here.”
Another resident, who asked not to be named, said he recently spent time living abroad after being unable to go outside alone when he first arrived at the home.
