EXCLUSIVE – NHS Highland update on Home Farm

By Jamie McDonald

EXCLUSIVE – NHS Highland update on Home Farm

NHS Highland has told families of residents at Home Farm that work is continuing to address concerns raised by the Care Inspectorate, with the deadline for making improvements now set for later this month.

A letter sent to residents and relatives, seen by Radio Skye, confirms changes now have to be made by 25 August 2026.

In the letter, Highland Health and Social Care Partnership Chief Officer, Arlene Johnstone acknowledges that the situation “continues to be an anxious time for residents, families and staff”.

The update outlines a number of areas where NHS Highland says work is underway, including improving record keeping, staff training and recruitment, and maintenance to the building.

Read the letter in full below.

The letter comes ahead of a public meeting in Portree on Monday 3 August to discuss the future of the home. The event is being organised by campaign group SOS Skye and will be held at the Church of Scotland Hall at 7pm.

Councillor John Finlayson met with Arlene Johnstone last week to seek assurances about the future of the home.

He told Radio Skye he raised the absense of the home’s long term manager.

“One of the main issues is the fact the manager of Home Farm has been off on long term sick. We were told that an experienced manager is now on site and that a number of changes are moving forward.

Radio Skye understands Interim Manager Sheena Williamson will remain in post until at least 25 August. She previously worked for the Care Inspectorate.

Mr Finlayson also raised concerns about maintenance issues at the building, including fire safety work.

“In terms of the maintenance of the building, again it would appear that the handyman has also been off sick.

“Surely if someone is off sick, within the estates team at NHS Highland, there should be people who can come in and address some of the safety issues about fire doors.”

NHS Highland has posted vacancies at the home in recent weeks. Mr Finlayson said recruitment remains one of the biggest challenges facing Home Farm.

“Our understanding is that there are agency staff travelling from London at times to work in Home Farm.

“I did ask about the recruitment and the advertising of posts because locally people are saying they never see the adverts.

“I suggested that maybe they should be liaising with SOS Skye in future, who could then put out these adverts.”

Mr Finlayson also asked about a recruitment group previously established under the leadership of the late Ross Cowie.

“I also asked about a group that had previously been set up under the leadership of Ross Cowie, before he sadly passed away, and I was keen to find out if that recruitment group was still meeting with NHS Highland.

“Arlene wasn’t able to confirm that, but maybe at the meeting tonight that will be confirmed.”

He said accommodation was another factor contributing to staffing pressures, and referred to concerns raised in the Care Inspectorate report.

“The whole issue around accommodation is also a reason why staffing is such a challenge.

“As the Care Inspectorate report said, some staff were actually living in Home Farm when they were coming up to do agency work, and that is not at all appropriate.

“That whole agenda is being moved forward, but it has to be moved forward quickly and we need to make sure that any positions at Home Farm are visible when they are advertised.”

However, Mr Finlayson said the main issue for residents and families remained the quality of care being provided.

“The central question in all of this, despite what the Care Inspectorate are asking for, revolves around the care of the residents.

“Categorically, any residents’ families I have spoken to, they’re not concerned. They feel that they are getting appropriate care. That’s really, really important.”

“I challenged Arlene about that and she also is of the same opinion that residents’ care is not being compromised.

“I think the message we were getting is that she is confident that Home Farm will not lose its registration.”

But he said it was important that any improvements were sustainable and that the home did not move from one crisis to another.

“Again I was keen to emphasise that we can’t just have situations where we’re jumping from emergency to emergency.

“If Home Farm keeps its registration, we need to make sure that that is sustainable and leadership, and all the other resources required, are put in place to make sure that we don’t end up in another six months’ time with another unannounced Care Inspectorate visit and again there’s an improvement notice attached to the care home.”

Mr Finlayson also addressed local concerns that NHS Highland may want to reduce services at Home Farm or see it close.

“There is in the community a certain train of thought that suggests that NHS Highland are trying to run down Home Farm and they would like to see it close.

“Again, I challenged Arlene Johnstone on this and categorically that is not their intention.”

He said the response from Ms Johnstone suggested it wanted to see the facility used more fully.

“In fact, she indicated that, at the moment, whilst the home has the capacity for 35 people, only 23 beds are being used.

“It was her hope that they would be able to take more residents in, so that doesn’t suggest to me that they want to run down Home Farm.

“If we don’t have Home Farm, that creates a greater problem for them, just as it creates a massive problem for families and people living in our area.”

You can listen to the full interview with Councillor John Finlayson below.

NHS Highland has been approached for comment.