Response from The Haven

The owners of the Haven nursing home, Freshsupport Ltd, run by the Malik family from a hotel in Manchester, declined repeated requests from Panorama for an interview.

Late on the day of transmission of our film, we received a fax from Tariq Malik in which he claimed that the "problems of The Haven are symptomatic of a much wider picture.

"Many small homes are struggling because they cannot afford to pay good salaries to get the right managers in post.

"The biggest abusers of the elderly (are) a government who will not adequately fund their needs."

Mr Malik said fees paid by local authorities "work out at £2.61 per hour."

Nevertheless he said they were trying to improve standards and training at the Haven and insisted staff were suspended while any allegations of abuse were investigated.

He confirmed that the company were appealing against CSCI's decision to close The Haven.