Care home providers at the centre of abuse scandal close a second property

A second care home owned by the company at the centre of allegations of abuse of vulnerable patients is to close, it was announced on Wednesday.

Castlebeck, which owned the Winterbourne View care home in Bristol where abuse was filmed by an undercover BBC journalist for Panorama, has said it will close Rose Villa, also in Bristol.
Four members of Rose Villa's staff were suspended last month following an inspection by regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) while allegations of misconduct were investigated. But Castlebeck today said it was closing the rehabilitation centre for adults with learning disabilities, which has five patients and 30 staff, for "operational reasons".
Winterbourne View, which saw 13 staff members suspended over allegations of abuse, closed in June.
Castlebeck's chief executive, Lee Reed, the company was closing the site "with regret".
"The service is being closed purely for operational reasons," he said. "Whilst we recognise the concerns raised in the recent CQC inspection report, our decision has resulted from the fact that in reviewing operational practicalities, Rose Villa would be left on its own in the South West - some distance from the support that could be provided by our services in the West Midlands.
"The decision is purely voluntary and not at the instigation of CQC.

Care home providers at the centre of abuse scandal close a second property Society guardian.co.uk