A TROUBLED care home in Barnt Green which had been placed into special measures by inspectors is set to close within two weeks.

Lickey Hills Care Home, on Warren Lane, has been in special measures since last November after it was rated ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors found “significant shortfalls” in the quality of care and warned its registration could be cancelled if improvements were not made within six months.

Bosses at the home, which cares for people with dementia, have now announced they will close the site, citing a lack of funding as the reason for their “difficult decision.”

James Willis, chief executive officer of Priory Adult Care, which runs the home, said: “We took the decision last year to close Lickey Hills as a care home, and the process of closure will conclude later this month.

“One of the principal factors behind this difficult decision was the well-documented concern about the acute, and rising, pressures on the funding of adult social care nationally.

“We have sadly concluded that the level of funding we receive is insufficient to allow us to provide the quality of care required by residents at Lickey Hills.

“We are extremely sorry for the disruption this decision has caused to those entrusted in our care.

“We have been working hard with commissioners to support residents and their families in finding and then transitioning into new homes.

“Where appropriate, our staff have been offered alternative roles within the company.

“We are currently exploring options for the alternative use of Lickey Hills.”

CQC inspectors made their last unannounced visit in August in response to concerns raised from members of the public, relatives, health and social service professionals.

The home, which provides care for up to 82 people, also gained the attention of the national media last May, following a police investigation into allegations an 82-year-old woman was found strapped to a bed.

The site has gradually dropped in its CQC rating over the years, having gone from ‘good’ in August 2015, ‘requires improvement’ in July 2017, to ‘inadequate’ in November.