Southfield Care Homes, at Southfield House in Bridge Street, Brackley, can no longer legally continue to operate after the social care regulator, the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), obtained a court order to cancel the registration of the home.

Staff from social services have been drafted in to provide care for the 34 residents until they can be moved out and rehoused in other nursing homes around the county.

The registered owner of the home, Pammi Sohanpaul was taken to court on Friday following three unannounced inspections of the privately-owned and managed home by the CSCI last week.

Inspectors were seriously concerned about the low number of staff available and their ability to meet the needs, including medication management, of the people living there.

CSCI regional director, Norwyn Cole, said: "We have had concerns for some time about the poor standards of care at Southfield.

"Despite being given every opportunity, the owner has failed to make the improvements necessary to meet national standards and to provide adequately for the needs of the residents.

"We have carried out a series of unannounced inspections at the home during the course of this year.

"Matters came to a head last week when our inspectors decided that the safety and welfare of the people living there was being put at serious risk. We could not allow this to continue, and that is why we sought the urgent order to cancel the registration of the home immediately."

An inspection carried out in December 2007 rated the Brackley care home, where residents are charged up to £600 a week, as 'poor' and criticised the fact that, at the time, it had no manager.

Concerns were also expressed about the way medicine was provided as inspectors observed a senior nurse carrying a tray of plastic cups with medication in them, including liquid medication, for two residents but the cups had no lids on them, dosage or the names of residents.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire County Council said: "We know that our colleagues at CSCI only take such urgent action when new concerns emerge that seriously affect the health and welfare of vulnerable people."

Spokesman for Northamptonshire Teaching PCT said: "Our priority is to ensure that all of the residents receive appropriate care for both their immediate and long-term health care needs."