TWO staff members at a Wraxall care home have been charged with neglect following reports of abuse at the facility.

The charges relate to offences committed by the men at the Granary Care Centre in Lodge Lane.

In February, a joint investigation was launched by the home’s owner, Shaw Healthcare, the police and North Somerset Council following a complaint by the family of one of its residents, accusing two staff members of abusing their relative.

The men were suspended while enquiries were made and this week have been charged with criminal offences.

Janusz Salnikow, aged 24 from Bristol, has been charged with three counts of neglect and Daniel Baynes, aged 24 from Bath, has been charged with three counts of neglect and two of theft.

They are due to appear at North Somerset Courthouse on September 10.

A third man, who also works at the centre, aged 29 from Nailsea, has been reported for summons on neglect and theft offences.

The Granary Care Centre is a dementia care facility which has a home for up to 60 people and a more specialist unit for up to 18.

Following the arrest of the two staff members, the home hit the headlines again in February after a report by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors revealed a catalogue of failures which were causing residents’ care to be compromised.

Out of seven standards of quality and safety, it was only meeting one, leading to action being demanded from Shaw Healthcare.

A re-inspection in June this year revealed a number of changes had been made at the facility, which is now meeting all but two of the standards.

A Shaw Healthcare spokesman said: “In January 2013, a relative advised staff at The Granary care home in Wraxall of incidents of poor care towards their family member.

“We operate a zero-tolerance policy towards any unkind or disrespectful behaviour to anyone in our care and therefore immediately advised the police and North Somerset Council of the reported incidents and suspended those staff members who might have been involved; this also triggered our own internal investigations. Since January 2013, none of the staff who were suspended have worked at the Granary.

“We will continue to co-operate with the police and CPS and await the outcome of the criminal justice process before making any further comment on these proceedings.

“Since the time of the incident that led to the staff suspensions, a new area manager has been appointed to oversee the implementation of an action plan that considered every aspect of the service provided at The Granary.

“The plan included a programme of specialist dementia training and a new staff mentoring system and has already led to improvements at the home that have been acknowledged by an independent report earlier this month.

“We are committed to building on these improvements and maintaining a caring and supportive community for the benefit of everyone who lives and works at The Granary.”