Cornwall Council says investigations into care homes run by the Morleigh Group, two of which were featured in a critical Panorama TV documentary last night, should be complete within days.

In a new statement in the wake of the BBC1 programme, whose undercover reporters revealed failures in care at St Theresa’s in Callington and Clinton House in St Austell, the council insists it will work closely with families and carers to ensure ’the best outcomes’ for residents.

Trevor Doughty, the council’s director for children, families and adults, said today: ’Following last Friday’s decision by the Care Quality Commission to rate the four nursing homes run by the Morleigh Group as “inadequate” we will be working closely with the residents and their families and carers to ensure the best outcomes for them.

’We have already identified alternative accommodation for the residents in Clinton House, following the decision of the owners to close the home, and anticipate that all 32 residents will have been moved to their new homes by the end of this week. 

’Our priority is to ensure the safety, wellbeing and dignity of all the residents being cared for in these homes.   

’We have already provided additional nursing and care staff to ensure the safety of residents and have also placed a member of staff from the Council’s social care team in each of the homes today and tomorrow to support residents, relatives and carers. 

’We have also set up a dedicated hotline for anyone with concerns to call – 01872 224210.  The hotline, which was in operation over the weekend, will be open until midnight tonight and from 8am tomorrow.

’As we have previously stated we would never make placements in care homes which have been rated as inadequate.   

’Having initially suspended new placements to Clinton House and St Theresa’s, the two homes at the centre of the Panorama programme, immediately we were made aware of the allegations, we extended this suspension to the other nursing homes in the group – Elmsleigh and Collamere, as well as to The Brake residential care home, as soon as the decision was made to expand the multi agency safeguarding investigation to these homes.

’We will now need to consider the best outcomes for the residents in the remaining four homes which have been rated as inadequate. The investigations are still continuing into these care homes and are expected to be completed within the next few days.  

’Clearly the results of these investigations and the CQC announcement will inform our actions but we will be talking to residents and their families before any decision is made.

’In the meantime we hope that the additional nursing and care staff which have been provided by the Council and health partners will help reassure people about the safety of the residents whilst these discussions take place.

’Clearly there are a number of issues which all agencies will need to look at to identify areas for improvement in the future.

’However, notwithstanding what has been uncovered in these shocking instances, I would like to reassure people that the majority of care homes in Cornwall are well run, staffed by people who genuinely care for the welfare of their residents and providing a good quality of care.   

’All agencies in Cornwall are working together to make sure that every single resident of nursing and care homes in Cornwall is safe, well looked after and treated with the dignity all deserve.’