Residents moved out of Shrewsbury nursing home over concerns on care

Shropshire Council has confirmed it has imposed an order on Hillcrest Manor Nursing Home in Minsterley, near Shrewsbury.

Director of adult services Stephen Chandler said the authority had "lost all confidence" in the home's ability to meet the needs of residents.

The privately-owned care home has 34 residents, providing general nursing and specialist nursing dementia care. Some residents were moved out yesterday.

Bosses at the care home, which is owned by Kelly Residential Ltd, said they have begun the process of launching legal action against the decision.

The announcement follows an inspection in April by the Care Quality Commission which demanded a series of improvements regarding standards of care and staffing.

At the time, the CQC said action was needed in several areas after raising concerns about issues including poor cleanliness, a lack of staff and the dignity of residents being compromised.

Council officers served the owners of the home with an immediate improvement notice earlier this month but a further unannounced inspection this week resulted in the formal notice to transfer residents out of the home being served on Thursday.

The transfer of all residents will take place in the next few days. Mr Chandler said: "We have lost all confidence that the home can meet the needs of its residents, and we have grave concerns over the standards of care being provided by staff.

"We don't take decisions like this lightly, and are working with our colleagues in the health service, who share our concerns."

But Philip Rainsford, a management consultant advising Kelly Residential, said staff had been shocked to learn of the decision and the company would be challenging the move.