Up to 20 new jobs are to be created following a £1million-plus investment at the Barham Care Centre.

An 18-bedroom extension will see the home’s registered capacity increase from 34 bedrooms to 44, with the construction of the new facilities having involved the demolition of some older rooms.

The centre is part of Cardinal Healthcare which also includes the nearby 55-bedroom Baylham Care Centre, with employment across the two sites expected to grow to around 170 when the expanded Barham centre is fully occupied.

Cardinal Healthcare director Adrian Fairburn, whose parents established the business at Barham in 1986, said the investment was part of an on-going commitment to ensure that facilities remain up to date and in line with the latest standards.

The Barham centre, which had just 13 rooms when the family first took over, was previously extended in 1990 and 2007 with the Baylham centre being added to the business in 2011.

Mr Fairburn said that while the Baylham centre was a new-build project, the expansions at Barham involved elements of the old and the new, with every effort being made to blend the two.

Barham Care Centre was recently inspected by the Care Quality Commission which awarded it a “Good” rating in all areas. The inspectors’ report stated that “throughout our inspection we noticed many examples of staff showing kind and compassionate support to people”.

The home specialises in long term dementia care, nursing care, residential care, end of life care, acquired brain injury, reablement care, day care and dedicated respite beds. A similar range of services is provided at the Baylham Care Centre.

Alongside the established management team, which continues to include several members of the family, Cardinal employs specialist nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists as well as a care team and is equipped to meet the needs of both permanent and temporary residents.

Barham Care Centre, formerly known as the Old Rectory Nursing Home, is located on the edge of the village of Barham while the Baylham centre stands on a elevated site with views over the Gipping Valley.