Quayside Care Home was slammed by the Care Inspectorate in September on four accounts of failing to care for Margaret Mackie properly.

According to her daughter, the 85-year-old entered the facility her chatty and usual self — but left downtrodden, ill and like an entirely different person.

Daughter Margaret Colquhoun said: “Before she went in my mum was talking and she was in a good way. But when she came out her condition was unbelievable — she was in an absolutely terrible state.

“She was covered in bruises, wasn’t speaking, was very badly dehydrated and hadn’t been given her medication. I knew myself she wasn’t going to recover.” Margaret, 63, told how her mother died three weeks after leaving the home and she claims her mother’s rapid decline began following neglectful care at Quayside Care Home.

She said: “My mother went down very, very quickly as a result of being in there. It was meant to be a period of respite for her — but she was not cared for, to devastating effect.” Mrs Mackie entered the care home on May 12 while Margaret took to redecorating the house and visiting relatives.

Both thought it would be a period of respite in the privately owned Bupa care home — but it turned out to be the exact opposite.

Margaret insists her frail mother was not medicated properly, was not given suitable sleeping facilities and no meaningful activites during her stay.

Upon arrival, Mrs Mackie was also forced to wait more than three hours in the facility before being shown to a room.

Margaret, who has more than 27 years experience as a care worker, was horrified at the catalogue of neglect and called in the Care Inspectorate. Investigators from the care home watchdog criticised Quayside Care Home, upholding four out of six complaints made by the family.

Inspectors found that: * Quayside was not prepared for the arrival of Mrs Mackie, leaving her to wait for about three hours before being settled in * Staff did not provide meaningful activities for Mrs Mackie * The facility did not provide her with an appropriate bed * Mrs Mackie went for three nights without medication for her anxiety Care home owners Bupa insist that the pensioner was not given medication as she was asleep and showing no signs of agitation.

The company also strongly refutes the claim that Mrs Mackie’s death was linked to her stay at the care home.

Quayside Care Home is currently rated as ‘good’ by inspectors, given four out of a possible six points.

However, in February this year the care home had slumped to ‘adequate’ but managed to restore its rating to ‘good’ by July.

A Care Inspectorate spokesman said: “We investigated and upheld a complaint and as a result we made three formal requirements of the care home. Every person is entitled to safe, high quality care that reflects their needs and promotes their rights and we will not hesitate to act if that doesn’t happen. Anyone with concerns can contact us on 0345 6009527, anonymously if needed.” A spokesman for Bupa said: “We were sorry to hear of Mrs Mackie’s death and again send our condolences to her family but it is wrong to say that it was in any way connected to her care during the five days that she spent with us.

“We were unaware that Mrs Mackie required a specialist bed. Our team immediately recognised this when she arrived and in two hours constructed and provided the specialist bed. Mrs Mackie spent this time with other residents in the lounge area and also enjoyed a meal.

“We have apologised to her family for this delay which should not have happened, and for the fact that we should have arranged and documented a one-one-one activities programme for Mrs Mackie.

“The instances that Mrs Mackie did not receive her anxiety medication for anxiety were because night nurses saw that she was sound asleep, peaceful and showing no signs of agitation. “We have now changed our procedure so we check with resident’s families on what to do in such circumstances.”