Wednesday February 4th 2026
North Merchiston Care Home, Edinburgh
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
Mismanagement of a council-run Edinburgh care home is putting the health and safety of residents at risk, according to a trade union representing staff.
The GMB union said team leaders at the North Merchiston care home don’t have adequate time to draft care plans and organise medications for residents.
In addition, they said under-staffing means kitchen cleaning work isn’t being done properly and care home staff are being asked to sign off on work that hasn’t been completed.
GMB Scotland organiser Andrew Bell said a meeting with management in December on the issue of team leaders lacking required time for their work had failed to resolve issues.
He added: “We have raised the concern of team leaders on a number of occasions but they are still not being given enough time to fulfil the responsibilities of their important role.
“Sadly, this is only the latest in a series of concerns raised at the home exposing a managerial culture of delay and indifference.”
Christine Laverty, chief officer of the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said it was aware of the concerns raised, and that it had met with GMB to ‘agree a way forward’.
She added: “The safety and comfort of our residents and staff is our top priority, and we are pleased that this was reflected in the most recent inspection of the care home.”
In the inspection, the care home was ranked ‘Good’, two levels below the top grade which can possibly be awarded.
It noted that staff had been able to form ‘warm and personalised’ relationships with patients.
The Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership is run by Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian, combining staff and resources from both to deliver care.
The union also raised concerns about working conditions for staff working at the home.
Mr Bell said workers in a laundry room had to work with vents open to the outside for six months, sometimes in sub-zero temperatures.
The vents – which were opened for renovations – were only closed after the union threatened a formal grievance.
Staff working in the kitchen at the care home also said they were working through breaks due to understaffing.
Mr Bell said committed and compassionate workers were being undermined by under-staffing and the failure of management to swiftly address concerns.
He added: “Individually and collectively, these issues and the failure to resolve them despite our best efforts, raise serious issues around the management of this home.
“We would urge the council to resolve the immediate issues through constructive negotiation while addressing our members’ wider concerns around the attitude of management.”
The union said that conversations held on Monday with councillors and members of the health and social care partnership were ‘constructive’ and would hopefully lead to action.
Ms Laverty said in full: “We’re aware of concerns raised by some of the team at North Merchiston care home, and have met with GMB to agree a way forward.
“The safety and comfort of our residents and staff is our top priority, and we are pleased that this was reflected in the most recent inspection of the care home.”
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