CARE home bosses have denied claims furniture infested with insects was the cause of a rash break out among residents.

Concerns were raised by a friend of a staff member after a group of residents at The Old Vicarage care home in Askam developed rashes.

One woman said she feared the cause of the rashes was a mite infestation in the home.

But a care home director and the doctor who works at The Old Vicarage said the concerns about mites were unfounded.

According to the concerned woman the furniture was being kept in the home until a planned refurbishment next year.

Jeff Slater, director and joint-owner of the care home, in Ireleth Road, said was fully aware of the rashes and immediately took action to explore what was causing them.

He said: “As soon as we became aware of the problem we called in pest control to carry out tests.

“These tests found there were no mites in the building or in the furniture.

“As well as this we changed all the bedsheets in our efforts to find out what may have been causing it.

“The rashes are a result of dry skin that elderly residents in care homes often experience.

“A doctor has treated everyone who developed the rashes with creams and the problems look like they have gone away.”

Dr Arabella Onslow from Dalton’s Market Street Medical Practice, the care home’s doctor, said she had notified bosses at The Old Vicarage after initial concerns at how many residents had developed a rash.

She said: “There are around six or seven residents who got rashes, which I thought was slightly too high a number and it caused me a bit of concern.

“I notified the care home about this and they were keen to find out what was causing it.

“I have consulted with the dermatologist and at this point we do not know for sure what has caused the rashes but it is certainly not because of the furniture.

“As for their care I do not have any concerns with how they treat their patients.

“I have every confidence in how the care home is looking after my patients.”

The most recent Care Quality Commission report in May this year found the home was good in all five areas: safety; effectiveness; care; responsiveness and how it is led.

“There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns,” the report said.