A CARE home whose residents had received "unexplained bruising" from being "hurt", "pushed" and "hit" has shut down after management admitted they found it "difficult" to provide high standards.

Beach Court Care Home in Aberdeen was criticised in a Care Inspectorate report last month, which highlighted "serious concerns" about the support residents received.

Prior to a series of unannounced visits, the watchdog received "a significant number" of referrals in relation to "unexplained bruising or injury to residents, residents being hurt, pushed, hit and verbally abused by other residents, potential thefts" and "inappropriate restraint being used by staff".

The Care Inspectorate demanded improvements.

But after a meeting on Thursday, management told relatives of the 35 residents that they were voluntarily shutting the home down.

The spokeswoman said: "There have been difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff of the right qualifications and calibre.

"This has made it difficult to provide the high standard of care that we usually expect to deliver for our residents and, if we cannot do this, then we would rather cease to operate the home."

Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart yesterday warned that the city was now facing a "care crisis".

He said: "I really do think that the city faces a care crisis and it seems that the council administration is not paying enough attention to this."

A Care Inspectorate spokesman said they would be helping to find homes for the residents. He said: "We are working with the care provider and the local authority to ensure residents' needs are being met and their rights respected."