Residents moved from Allerton Lodge Care Home over concerns

Residents at a Flintshire care home are being moved to "safe and secure surroundings" by council officials after "poor standards" were found.

It follows a critical inspection at Allerton Lodge Care Home in Brynford, near Holywell, by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate for Wales.

A later inspection found improvements.

But Flintshire council said it was moving all 15 residents out, claiming the home had not made enough progress since the CSSIW report.

The home owner has declined to comment.

The inspection in November and December 2016 found one resident had not received prescribed medication for 17 days and another was seen crying because she was so hungry.

'Serious concerns'

A council spokesman said: "The home has been given every opportunity and support.

"A decision has been made to withdraw the contract with immediate effect and move all residents to safe and secure surroundings as a matter of urgency.

"The council will not tolerate poor standards of care and has acted promptly."

The spokesman added it had been "working closely" with the care home owner and CSSIW to address concerns but it "has not made sufficient progress".

The CSSIW said in a statement: "Following serious concerns that we had about standards of care provided at Allerton Lodge, we worked closely with Flintshire County Council, who are now terminating their contract with the home.

"They are making arrangements for the residents living there to move to other services as soon as possible."

However, a relative of an elderly woman who was living at the home said there had been problems in the past, but "since January, the place has been turned around completely".

"The staff are outstanding," she said. "The meals are very good and so is the cleanliness and there's been a high standard of care."

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said she felt the home had been having problems in attracting enough staff.

According to a subsequent report, published on Tuesday, the second inspection carried out by CSSI Wales on 6 February this year found "a much improved picture".

"Although there are a number of recommendations for further improvements, the inspectors found no areas of non-compliance when they returned," it read.