Home Farm criticised for ‘severely inadequate’ staffing levels
Written by MartyM on 30 June 2026
By Jamie McDonald
Home Farm criticised for ‘severely inadequate’ staffing levels
Home Farm has been criticised over what inspectors have described as “severely inadequate” staffing levels and a “toxic and unsupportive” workplace culture.
The Care Inspectorate carried out an unannounced inspection in May and has now published its findings.
Inspectors rated leadership as “unsatisfactory”, saying there was no consistent management presence and that accidents and safeguarding concerns were not always reported or dealt with properly.
They also found the home was heavily reliant on agency staff, with workers often covering excessive hours and sometimes skipping breaks. On some occasions, staffing levels were described as “severely inadequate”, putting residents’ safety at risk.
The report also says rooms designed for residents were inappropriately being used as staff accommodation.
The Care Inspectorate has ordered NHS Highland, which runs the home, to make improvements by 1 August this year.
Home Farm cares for up to 35 people. Eleven residents died during a serious Covid outbreak in 2020. It was operated by HC One at the time.
An NHS Highland spokesperson said:
“We want to reassure people that we have taken this situation seriously and immediately implemented an improvement plan to address the issues raised to ensure we meet the recommendations of the Care Inspectorate. This included additional experienced staffing, leadership support and a review of the physical environment to ensure safe and consistent care is maintained.
“We are in direct contact with residents, their families and staff and are fully committed to making the necessary improvements as quickly as possible.”
