Wolverhampton care home where residents were at 'serious risk' will shut within days

Watchdogs demanded changes after reporting inadequate levels of staff and even saw residents wearing each other's clothes when they mounted an unannounced inspection of Fallings Park Lodge.

And now the Express & Star can reveal it will close on Tuesday (September 1) - despite improvements being made.

Residents of the home, run by Aplin Care Homes, were expected to be fully moved out by the end of this week.

Earlier this year there were 24 people being cared for in the Old Fallings Lane home. It is not known how many staff have been affected.

Care home proprietor Malcolm Aplin was unavailable for comment and a member of staff who answered the phone confirmed the home would close but declined to comment.

Tony Ivko, Wolverhampton council's service director for older people, said: "The council has been monitoring the situation with Fallings Park Lodge and working closely with the residents and their relatives.

"We were informed on August 6 that the home would be closing on September 1 and took immediate action to ensure the safe transfer of the residents to an alternative care home.

"This process should be completed by the end of the week."

Last year the home, which specialises in nursing and personal care and could cater for up 48 pensioners with dementia, mental health conditions, and physical disabilities, was told to make improvements after repeatedly failing to meet all required standards.

Residents were even found wearing each others' clothes, according to the assessment by the Care Quality Commission.

It inspected the home after concerns were raised.

The council suspended placements at Fallings Park Lodge in August last year following concerns about staffing levels at the home and a spokesman said it had been co-operating with the authority and making improvements.

In the most recent CQC report, which was published on June 17 this year, the home was given an overall 'good' rating.

The report said people said they felt safe at the home and with the staff, and that staff had received training and support to develop their skills.

It added: "The systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service had improved and had been maintained by the acting manager. This had resulted in identifying improvements needed."