18 people are being removed from a crisis-hit care home amid serious concerns about the level of safety and care provided.

Essex County Council has announced it will be removing elderly residents from Treetops Care Home in Station Road, Epping, a week after a damning report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was published.

The council decided it would not renew its contract with Treetops on March 31 after safety concerns were first raised by the CQC last year.

The CQC report, published last Monday (April 20), found the home for over-65s is “inadequate” in all areas, including safety, caring and responsiveness.

Inspectors found residents’ medication was not safely managed, with some staff untrained or unchecked.

The report adds that treatment of people with dementia “was weak and people's dignity was not respected”.

A spokesman for the council said: “Essex County Council has taken a decision not to renew its contract with Treetops Care Home which expired on March 31 due to ongoing concerns regarding standards of care which were highlighted in the recent CQC inspection.

“Residents and families have been informed and we are now working closely with them to make arrangements for residents’ future care.”

He added: “ECC had 21 residents at the home – likely all will have been moved in the next week.

“The decision not to renew the contract was made prior to the publication of the CQC report as we had concerns around standards of care.

“These concerns are in line with those of the CQC.”

The CQC inspection team spoke with 11 of the 40 people living at the home and two visiting relatives during their unannounced visits on November 18 and 19 last year.

A spokeswoman for the CQC said: “We found that the care provided at Treetops Care Home fell short of what we expect services to provide.

“We have told the home they must take action to resolve the issues we identified.

“We have made it clear that we will return to the home to check that the necessary improvements have been made.

“If not, we will take further action to make sure people living there receive care which is safe, effective, caring and responsive to their needs.”    

The CQC has the legal authority to take enforcement action, up to and including prosecuting or removing a provider or manager’s registration, effectively closing the home.

Treetops Care Home director Sultanali Pabani has been contacted repeatedly for comment.