Residents Moved From Site Following Investigation

Elderly residents staying at The Halls Nursing Home in Bromsgrove have been moved from the site following concerns over high levels of legionella bacteria in its water system, according to reports.

The Bromsgrove Standard reports that 28 people have been relocated after inspections found high levels of the bacteria – which can cause potentially fatal Legionnaires’ disease. Other concerns were raised regarding fire safety at the home.

Speaking to the newspaper, a spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said: “The council and partner agencies place the utmost importance on the quality of care of vulnerable people and therefore considers this action necessary to secure the welfare and safety of the residents in the home.”

The council added that it was continuing to speak to the residents who have been relocated, as well as staff and family and friends.

The managing director of the home, Sam Jeebun, said the legionella levels had been treated and were now significantly lower.

In recent months there have been numerous reports of concerns regarding legionella bacteria, with schools in both Edinburgh and Cardiff being affected by the discovery of traces of the bacteria.

Expert Opinion

Here at Irwin Mitchell we represent more than 50 victims of major Legionnaires’ outbreaks in both Stoke-on-Trent and Edinburgh in 2012, and this work means we have seen first-hand the major consequences that legionella bacteria can have on so many lives. <br/> <br/>"It is very welcome that the concerns over the presence of the bacteria at this care home were identified and steps taken to protect residents from harm. However, the bigger question is whether improvements can be made to ensure the risks of the bacteria are prevented from reaching the same level in the future. <br/> <br/>"We have long-held concerns over the regulations in place regarding the management of legionella bacteria, specifically as many of the guidelines were put in place more than a decade ago. Clearly, there is scope to consider if such standards remain fit for purpose. <br/> <br/>"There have been far too many instances in the past 18 months in which high levels of legionella have been identified. Action must be taken to see what can be done to ensure the public are kept safe." Suki Chhokar - Partner