COLCHESTER MP Bob Russell is to raise the case of a failed care home in the House of Commons.

Greenways Care Home, in Colchester, was closed after allegations vulnerable residents were being abused by staff.

However, it has now emerged the police were never informed of the allegations and there was evidence medication was not properly administered to patients.

A review of what went wrong, which does not identify the home its name, has revealed Essex County Council received five allegations about abuse and was sent a letter from a whistle-blower in the months before it shut.

The report says Excelcare, the company in charge of running the home, failed to respond to the allegations. It adds that despite the council sending in 13 new staff, standards continued to slip.

It recommends the council sets up a new method for monitoring risk of abuse or poor standards of care, as well as an Essex-wide system for dealing with abuse allegations.

The review says the council initially had concerns about standards at the home as early as 2007 and tasked it with improving.

By February 2008, the home appeared to be meeting requirements, but between September and November 2008, the council receiv-ed the allegations of suspected or actual abuse, as well as a letter from a member of staff.

Paul Smith, borough councillor for St John’s, said: “I think it’s extremely worrying that within two months, the county council receives five alerts of alleged abuse and a whistle-blowing letter, then sends 13 people in and can’t stop it.”

The review was published by Essex Safeguarding Adults Board more than 18 months after the home was shut in November 2008.

But instead of referring to the home by name, the serious case review uses the letters “HX” to identity the demolished residence, in St Fillan Road.

Mr Russell said he would be taking the matter up in Parliament.

He added: “I’m astonished. This is hardly public accountability and transparency.

“I think questions need to be asked about why attempts have been made to camouflage the home and those that operated it. Why are they being allowed to have a camouflaged name?

“I will be asking the relevant Government minister whether it is appropriate a privatised care home, whose operation has been called into question, has been allowed to have its name camouflaged. This is completely alien to the concept of public accountability.”

The Gazette tried to contact Excelcare, but no one was available to comment.

However, the report says the company “accepted all of the care, practice and management failures identified”.