THE Daily Echo report into Glen Lee residential care home was based on a report dated January 16, 2013 by the Care Quality Commission, who had visited the home unannounced on November 1, 2012.

Your story gave prominence to the failings at Glen Lee and opened, ‘Toilet seats were found smeared with faeces while vulnerable residents were put ‘at risk of harm’ at a Southampton care home’.

At no point in this story did your reporter mention any of the positive aspects of the CQC report, and more importantly, there was a failure to mention the difficulties being faced by staff on the day of the inspection, when the lift was broken and staff were having to transport meals from the ground floor kitchen to the bedrooms.

I have an elderly relative in Glen Lee, and I regularly make unannounced visits. The CQC inspectors found that the residents were “very happy” and that “relatives were complimentary about the care that the service provided”.

Indeed, before my relative came to Glen Lee, I personally visited a large number of homes, and was highly impressed by the professionalism and standard of care at Glen Lee.

I believe Glen Lee to be an exceptional home that provides a service to residents that few other homes are able to provide.

Glen Lee specialises in dementia care. Many residents are incontinent, and things like soiled toilet seats, and people going to sleep in strange places, are the kind of things that result from this sad affliction.

Anyone who uses supermarket toilets will know that soiled toilets are a fact of life even for those of sound mind.

Overall, I felt that the story did not paint a balanced picture of Glen Lee (or the CQC report), and in the attempt to lead on the sensationalist “yuk” factor, it was unfair to the dedicated staff.

JOHN COLES, Launceston, Cornwall.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Our story did carry the positive aspects highlighted in the report, and the online version included the option to read the entire report by CQC.