Care home resident found at Newcastle railway station
- Published
British Transport Police officers were called after "concerns for the welfare" of the man were raised
An investigation is under way into how a vulnerable man went missing from a care home and was found on his own almost 40 miles away.
The man left Hollyhurst in Darlington, a residential home for people with learning disabilities, and was returned from Newcastle.
British Transport Police was alerted to "concerns for his welfare" at Newcastle Central Station at 07:37 on 14 April and officers took him back to the home.
The home said the man was unharmed.
A spokesperson for Hollyhurst, which is run by Cygnet Health Care, said: "We take the safety and privacy of all our residents extremely seriously.
"Our residents are not detained and are regularly supported to access the local community and to live as independently as possible.
"We can confirm a resident left the home and was subsequently supported to return safely by the police, having come to no harm."
It said its management team had addressed the circumstance surrounding how the man left the home on Woodland Road, and it had been reported to "the appropriate bodies".
The residential home which looks after people with learning disabilities is off Woodland Road
Darlington Borough Council said an investigation was under way by its safeguarding team.
The spokesperson said: "We will work with relevant partners, including the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Cygnet Health Care throughout this investigation."
The CQC - which inspects residential care homes across England - had been monitoring Hollyhurst, after it was rated as "requires Improvement".
On a visit in October, inspectors found a breach in safeguarding and raised concerns that "action to keep people safe" was "not be taken quickly enough".
A CQC spokesperson said: "We understand the provider is carrying out its own investigation and we await the outcome.
"We are liaising with the provider and will continue to monitor the service closely."
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