An investigartion has been launched into a care home after half the residents died in just over two weeks.

Watchdog the Commission for Social Care Inspection is investigating after eight OAPs at Crown Nursing Home, in High Street, Harwell, died from “chest-related illnesses”.

The deaths, which occurred between January 9 and January 25, included 107-year-old Elizabeth ‘Queenie’ Carpenter, who was one of the county’s oldest women.

Last night, the commission, which was set up by the Government to monitor adult social care in England, confirmed inspectors had visited the home.

A spokesman said: “Our inspectors have been into the home and are having continuing discussions with the management.

“We are unable to go into more details at present, but we are monitoring the standards of care at the home while considering what further action we may need to take.”

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the home at this stage.

The commission regulates, inspects and reviews all adult social care services in the public, private and voluntary sectors in England. It can close homes if it sees fit.

Home manager May Sancio said two men and six women, aged between 85 and 107, had died.

She said doctors had diagnosed pneumonia in all of them before they died.

A spokesman for Southern Cross Healthcare, which owns the home, said the cause of death was “chest-related illnesses”.

Mrs Sancio said: “The staff have been upset. Some of the residents have been here for ages and they have been nursing them for ages, they have been part of our family.

“It is just unfortunate this has affected most of our residents. It started off with just a cold and they have been treated with antibiotics. Some of them recovered and others didn’t.

“If someone had symptoms we had to make sure they were contained in a room to make sure they couldn’t pass the virus to other people.”

The Southern Cross Healthcare spokesman said: “The staff and residents of the home are saddened by the deaths of these residents at the start of the year. These were as a result of individual, chest-related illnesses.

“All regulatory authorities are aware of the deaths and there is no concern over the cause of each death. The average age of each resident was 93 years old and all had been happily living in the home for some years.

“Management at the home has evaluated their infection control procedures, which were of the highest standard, and are reviewing newly issued NHS guidelines.”

Mrs Carpenter’s grandson-in-law Kevin Calkin, 46, of Verlam Grove, Didcot, said: “It’s one of those things that takes over and it’s very unfortunate this antibiotic-resistant strain just took over.

“Pneumonia is very common in older people.

“The Crown Nursing Home were fantastic to Grandma. They provide the same level of care to all their patients.

“It was probably an act of God. You can’t insure against nasty viruses.”

An Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust spokesman said: “(The) PCT is not aware of an evidenced pneumonia outbreak within Oxfordshire at this time.”

A spokesman for social services said: “We are working with the commission and the home to look at any issues there.”

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