A west Suffolk nursing home that was placed in special measures after a watchdog inspection will close later this month.

Pinford End House Nursing Home, in Hawstead, near Bury St Edmunds, was rated 'inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after an inspection in September where concerns were raised over safeguarding, patient monitoring and fire safety. 

Now, Suffolk County Council has announced the home, which housed 35 residents at the time of the CQC inspection, will close on November 15. 

A spokesperson for Suffolk County Council said: “We are working closely with CQC and health colleagues to support residents living at Pinford End House Nursing Home to find new care provision, following the owner’s decision to close the home. 

"The quality and safety of care for residents is always our primary concern, and we are confident that new provision will be found for all residents in the coming days." 

The spokesperson said there were seven residents currently in the home and moving arrangements were underway for each person. 

Pinford End House Nursing Home was inspected by the CQC after it received concerns about safe care and treatment, safeguarding and safe medicines management. 

Amongst other things, it was found that the home, which provides personal, nursing and end of life care, did not always respond to safeguarding concerns in line with their own policy and, when events including safeguarding incidents took place, records did not evidence what action had been taken.

Inspectors found the provider's governance systems and audit process continued not to be robust enough to ensure shortfalls were addressed, and the home had failed to take action in response to fire safety concerns raised after external fire inspection visits.

Catriona Eglinton, CQC deputy director of operations, said: "We found leaders didn’t manage staff well and when talking to inspectors about their experiences of working at the service, some staff were visibly upset. They told us there wasn’t regular supervision or staff meetings.

"They also told us staff morale was low and the atmosphere was unpleasant as, according to one member of staff, leaders were more focused on money than people’s care."