A NURSING home is being threatened with closure “to protect the health, safety and welfare of people using this service”.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has formally warned bosses of the New Forest care home after a series of surprise visits found vulnerable pensioners dehydrated and hungry.

Poorly kept records at Colbury House Nursing and Residential Home in Calmore meant that some residents’ care and treatment needs were overlooked.

In the wake of the findings, Hampshire County Council has stopped sending vulnerable pensioners there.

CQC spokesman John Scott said: “We have informed the provider that they must be compliant by a set date and we will return unannounced to confirm this has happened.

Concerns “The reason we have taken enforcement action against Colbury House Nursing and Residential Home is to protect the health, safety and welfare of people using this service.”

Inspectors carried out three visits in April after concerns were raised about standards.

Together with a specialist advisor, they checked how people were cared for at each stage of their treatment and care.

They then found a catalogue of failings involving residents’ dignity and also their safety.

Hampshire County Council told the Daily Echo that there were eight of its service users in the home but that since the failings were brought to its attention in April, it had not been referring people there.

Councillor Anna McNair Scott, executive member for adult social care at Hampshire County Council, said: “The safety and wellbeing of all Hampshire’s vulnerable adults is an absolute priority for us and, as lead agency for safeguarding in Hampshire, we have a duty to safeguard all vulnerable adults.

“To help Colbury House in addressing these issues, adult services are working alongside health colleagues with the provider, as part of a multidisciplinary safeguarding framework, to ensure the necessary actions against an agreed improvement plan are delivered.

“The home’s management and staff are cooperating with us to ensure that this is achieved.

“We will continue to closely monitor the situation alongside the other commissioners until the issues are resolved and will put in place additional safeguarding measures if necessary.

“We are keeping all residents, and their families where appropriate, informed of the current situation and any developments.”

Colbury Care Limited director Hitesh Bharkhda said that it has written to residents’ families following the CQC inspection about the concerns and set up a plan to address those concerns raised.

He said: “The report covers the same points we had uncovered, one of the key points being to engage a suitably qualified home manager, and he has been in place since the beginning of June.

“We have overhauled our documentation to make care plans more person-centred.

“We are making good progress on those plans.

“The residents and their relatives are fully supportive of the plans.

“We are cooperating fully with all statutory agencies, including CQC, and working tirelessly to improve standards and quality of care for people living at Colbury House.”