A Berrylands nursing home rated inadequate three times by Care Quality Commission inspectors is to close for good, blaming a lack of “quality nurses”.

Park Lodge, which was put into special measures last year, is home to 15 people who are likely to be rehoused in the coming weeks.

Inspections by the CQC in January, April and August found medicine was not stored safely and residents were at “risk of malnutrition”.

Care at the Park Road home, owned by CHD Living, costs up to £800 a week.

A spokeswoman for Park Lodge said it would be “discontinuing nursing care” when an appropriate place was found for vulnerable residents and that the closure was nothing to do with the CQC reports.

She said: “We have found it increasingly difficult to recruit our own team of quality nurses.

"This has impacted on our ability to consistently meet the high standards of clinical care that we and our partner agencies expect.

"The service has not been successful in recruiting its own team and has had to rely more upon agency nurses."

She added that the staff would be working with Kingston Council and the CQC, who fund a number of current residents, to ensure that any moves would be done “sensitively and smoothly.”

CHD Living has submitted an application to operate as a residential care home without nursing facilities.

Councillor Cathy Roberts, who has responsibility for adult social care, said: “The council is working with Park Lodge, residents and their families to ensure the relocation of all private and council-funded residents is handled appropriately and the transition is smooth.

“The continuing operation of this facility is no longer possible due to the lack of quality nurses to consistently meet the high standards of clinical care in a small care home.”