Meppershall Care Home residents moved out over safety fears

Twelve residents have been moved out of Meppershall Care Home after inspectors found breaches of care and welfare standards

Elderly people have been moved out of a Bedfordshire care home following a damning inspection report.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said urgent action was needed at Meppershall Care Home, near Shefford.

Twelve residents from its Lavender House dementia unit were moved to other local care homes on Friday.

Its owner said it was making improvements, while Central Bedfordshire Council said it was keeping a close watch on the home.

May Ward, who was 100, died of multiple injuries after staff tried to hoist her out of bed at the home in 2010.

Shortage of staff

The CQC carried out an unannounced inspection of the home in May 2013 and found 11 breaches of care and welfare.

Inspectors identified concerns over the safety of the 70 residents, many of whom have dementia.

They also found a shortage of experienced and qualified staff on duty.

Acting on those concerns, the council closed the home to new admissions from 1 July.

Julie Ogley of Central Bedfordshire Council said standards at the home were not good enough

'Not good enough'

Julie Ogley, director of adult social care, health and housing at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: "It's awful.

"People have lived there for a long time but what the inspectors found were really poor standards of care.

"You wouldn't want your relatives to be cared for to that standard. It's not good enough."

The home's owners GA Projects said in a statement: "We're working hard with the authorities to bring the home back up to the standard it should be.

"We look forward to a future in which we provide an excellent standard of care to our elderly and vulnerable residents.

"Investment will be made in staff and training to make sure our standards improve."