RESIDENTS at a care home in Littleport have had to be relocated this week after “continued concerns” were raised by inspectors over the failing standard of care.

Cambridgeshire County Council and NHS Cambridgeshire announced they had reacted to concerns raised over the standard of care at the Littleport Grange care home by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and decided to pull residents out.

Just last month, the home, on Grange Lane, was warned it needed to make urgent improvements or face possible sanctions, with inspectors critical of the standard of training available to staff and the patchy state of residents’ care plans.

In subsequent visits however, CQC inspectors were not satisfied with progress and, earlier this week, contact was made with the county council.

In response, Cambridgeshire County Council and NHS Cambridgeshire along with several other authorities opted to withdraw their contracts and pull residents from the home that they were funding.

A Littleport resident, who asked not be named to protect the identity of a relative at the home, said: “A lot of relatives have been phoning around other homes in the village desperately trying to find places, it has been very upsetting.

“At first we were told it would be just a few of the 24-hour care residents who would be moving but that quickly changed and now there are a lot more people having to find new places to live.”

A Care Quality Commission spokesman said: “Following continued concerns regarding Littleport Grange in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, the Care Quality Commission is taking action to protect the interests of the people using the service, however the law does not allow us to go into further detail at this stage.

“We are continuing to work with our partner agencies in relation to this service which remains subject to the ongoing monitoring of compliance with the essential standards of care. We are also in contact with the provider.”

A joint statement from Claire Bruin, service director (Adult Social Care), at Cambridgeshire County Council and Alison Gilbert, director of clinical delivery, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and Cath Mitchell, director of integrated commissioning, at NHS Cambridgeshire, read:

“The county council and Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, and NHS Cambridgeshire, have been monitoring and reviewing the provision of care to residents at Littleport Grange in recent months following concerns raised with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

“To ensure the safety and wellbeing of the residents we are working with families to find suitable alternative placements for each of the residents funded by the county council. As our safeguarding responsibilities extend to residents who are self-funders, we are also making contact with their relatives to discuss the situation.

“This decision has not been taken lightly and we recognise that relocation will be an unsettling experience for residents and their families. However, the welfare of residents within the home is of paramount importance to us.”

A statement from Dove Care Homes which owns the home, said: “We are disappointed that funding has been withdrawn by Cambridgeshire County Council and residents will be displaced from Littleport Grange as a result.

“We are taking this matter extremely seriously and are making a number of improvements to the home including appointing a new manager.

“We are confident that the home will soon meet the highest standards.”