A CARE home for elderly people suffering from dementia is being shut down after independent assessors voiced serious concerns over patient care.

A probe was launched into privately owned Pangbourne Residential Care Home in Hartlepool by Hartlepool Council last week.

Council officials stepped in and placed their own manager and social care staff in the home while the full investigation was carried out.

A council spokesman said there was no suggestion that anyone had been abused at the 17-bed home on Park Avenue.

The home is run by Dr Samarendra Mahapatra, a specialist registrar in psychiatry.

Nicola Bailey, the Council's Director of Adult and Community Services, said today: "Following a recent meeting with the council, the owner of Pangbourne has decided to close the home.

"The priority now is to relocate the residents to alternative accommodation and where there is a desire for residents to stay together, we will clearly try to achieve this.

"In the meantime, our investigation is still ongoing but we hope to conclude it soon."

Mrs Bailey said that the authority had kept residents' families fully informed throughout and would continue to do so.

Last Wednesday Hartlepool Council announced that it was conducting an investigation into the running of it after serious concerns were expressed by independent assessors and the authority's own social care staff.

Pangbourne is featured on Hartlepool Council website as one of three residential care homes in the town for adults with mental health needs and is rated good by independent social care inspectors.

The manager's description reads: "We are a small, friendly home with a home from home feel. All our staff are qualified to NVQ Level 2 or 3. We are a short walk or bus ride from Hartlepool town centre. We have rooms which overlook the beautiful Ward Jackson Park."