Relative defends under-fire slap probe nursing home (From The Bolton News)

Relative defends under-fire slap probe nursing home

A RELATIVE has come forward to defend a nursing home at the centre of slapping allegations.

Des Powell says his 79-year-old mother has received top-class care at Ladymead Nursing and Residential Home.

The home in Westwood Road, Heaton, has been investigated by Bolton Social Services, the Health Authority and police into allegations three staff including the owner and matron Charlotte Castle slapped residents.

Mrs Castle, aged 54, has maintained she only tapped the elderly lady on the face.

University administrator Mr Powell, of Rishton, near Blackburn, said: "I want to say how happy my family is with our mother's care. She has been in there six years and the treatment has been wonderful

"There is a lot of support for Mrs Castle. I have every confidence in her."

He said the allegations against her and other staff involved came as a complete shock when they received notification from social services that investigations were being carried out.

Mr Powell added: "We have no intentions whatsoever of taking our mother out of the home." Bolton Social Services officers and representatives from Bolton and Wigan Health Authority met this week to discuss their investigation, as reported in the BEN.

Deputy director of Bolton Social Services Sue Lightup said they had come to some conclusions and had agreed on various actions.

The authority said the details of the actions would not be made public until the next inspection report on the home was conducted sometime later this year.

It is unlikely any action will be taken by police.

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