INSPECTORS have been sent in to a private nursing home after two more care workers were suspended.

Social services investigators are taking a look round Rose Court Nursing and Residential Home in Radcliffe after the latest staff upheaval.

Two women were suspended last week following a complaint of alleged verbal harassment made by a resident.

This came just days after two male staff were sacked in a separate incident over alleged "rough treatment" of an elderly patient.

Now residents and their relatives are being asked what they think of treatment at the Water Street home.

Ms Sue Lightup, assistant borough social services officer, confirmed that members from her department's registration and inspection unit, which monitors residential homes, have been visiting Rose Court this week. Bury social services pays for 29 residents at the home.

"The number of complaints over a short period of time concerns us," she said. "We will be asking residents and relatives if they are satisfied with the care they are receiving."

Ms Lightup added that the home had acted properly in taking allegations seriously, suspending staff and informing the department. The latest suspensions are believed to centre on alleged verbal harassment of a resident on the residential floor.

An internal investigation reconvenes today when the women will give their evidence to Mr John May, human resources director of the home's London-based owners, Harmony Healthcare.

Mr May confirmed that the women had been suspended on full pay over an allegation that they "did not treat a particular patient very well". He declined to go into details while the investigation was still going on.

Mr May said officers at social services had been informed immediately.

"It might be found that there's no evidence," said Mr May. "Sometimes a complaint is unfounded, but we still have to follow procedures. The interests of the residents are paramount.

"Social services is obviously very concerned, as it should be, but it is quite satisfied with the action we have taken."

Meanwhile, both men who were sacked days earlier appealed their dismissals yesterday in front of a company director.

Their case involves an incident last month when police were called to Rose Court over claims that an 80-year-old man had been treated too aggressively while being restrained.

But anonymous callers to the Bury Times claim the men are innocent and are being made scapegoats in a cover-up.

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