NEWS that the 16-bed nursing section of one of Marlborough’s care homes is to close next month has left people with only a few weeks to rehouse elderly relatives.

The owner of Merlin Court, in Hyde Lane, has announced it is closing the nursing care facility at the home in March because it cannot find permanent experienced staff, and no longer wants to rely on using agency nurses.

It will continue to provide residential and specialist dementia care at the 66-bed home.

Although meetings have been taking place with relatives of residents in the care home, discussing the closure of the nursing care facility for 16 residents, one only discovered the meetings were taking place by chance.

The woman, who asked not to be named in the Gazette, said: “The home put posters up the week before around the nursing care area. I didn’t see them straight away. My aunt receives nursing care but doesn’t stay in the nursing area. They didn’t notify me, write to me or even phone to alert this.

“I went to a meeting last Thursday evening to see what they had to say. The home is now going through a process of individually reviewing each of the 16 people who stay in the nursing area. The family or next of kin will be invited, but so far I haven’t been told when my meeting is,” she added.

“When I found out about this I was really angry and then really anxious. It is going to have an impact on anyone who has relatives there who will have to move them to another nursing home. I’ll have to try and find another nursing home for her in Marlborough which is not going to be easy in such a short time.

“It is going to be very difficult for my mother to visit her sister. She cannot drive and if my aunt has to be moved then she will not be able to walk there. It will have a massive impact on her.”

Merlin Court this week released a statement on the closure of the nursing care, saying: “It is with considerable regret that Avery Healthcare is announcing that Merlin Court Care Home in Marlborough will be altering their provision of care, and as of March 4, 2016 will no longer be providing nursing care at this home.

“On acquiring Merlin Court in late 2014, Avery found that the home had been heavily reliant on using agency nurses. Since this acquisition Avery has found it increasingly difficult in the area to recruit nurses with sufficient experience.

“Avery does not anticipate, with the national recruitment challenges facing the care sector, that a continued reliance on agency nursing will decrease, and this impacts its ability to deliver quality care consistently at the levels it requires.”

Merlin Court came under scrutiny by the Care Quality Commission in September after being rated by inspectors as 'requiring improvement.'

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “This is not a council-run care home, however We are aware that Merlin Court will be unable to offer nursing care to its residents after March 4. We are working closely with the home to support the people who are affected by this change and who may need to move to another care home.”