A private nursing home in Essex for people living with mental illnesses will close after inspectors found patients were at serious risk of harm.

Last month, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) took action to urgently suspend services at the Harvey Centre in Weeley due to safety concerns and subsequently provider Astracare UK Limited has decided to shut the facility.

Despite repeated requests from this newspaper, the Harvey Centre management has failed to provide a comment.

Following a visit in February this year, the CQC gave the nursing home an overall rating of ‘inadequate’ and plunged it into special measures.

Inspectors found the management had failed to fix problems first flagged up in May 2016, which meant patients were not receiving safe and effective care.

The North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has now revealed the Harvey Centre has shut itself down after further issues were raised.

A report that has gone before the CCG’s board members states: “On November 2 and 6 2017, the CQC revisited Harvey Centre mental health nursing home to carry out a comprehensive inspection. This has resulted in the home’s registered owner being issued with a section 31 urgent notice, imposing conditions on Astracare’s registration. “In response, Astracare has decided to deregister its services from the CQC and has served notice of contract termination to all commissioning authorities, residents and their families.

“The CCG is working collaboratively with Essex County Council and the CQC to ensure the health and safety of residents.”

The CQC has powers to urgently suspend a provider’s or manager’s registration under section 31 of the Health and Social Care Act when a serious risk of harm is identified.

A spokeswoman for the CQC has confirmed the information provided by the CCG is correct and new placements were being found for the patients.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “We are working closely with the owners of the Harvey Centre, the CQC and local CCG, as well as the residents and their families to secure new and appropriate accommodation.”

The Harvey Centre, based in The Street, is an 18-bed nursing home attached to Connolly House hospital, also run by Astracare.