Elderly 'at risk' as England care regulator issues warning over home care provider

One of the country’s largest home care providers could stop operating at the end of the month.

England’s care regulator, the Care Quality Commission, has warned 84 councils that one of the country’s largest home care providers, Allied Healthcare, could stop operating at the end of the month.

Allied Healthcare provides a range of services to approximately 13,000 people across the UK with dementia, learning disabilities, mental health conditions and physical disabilities across all ages.

Rochdale Borough Council hopes the news that as many as 9,300 elderly and vulnerable people across the country are at risk of losing their domiciliary services after 30 November won’t affect any local service users.

Tracey Harrison, the council’s assistant director for commissioning (adults), said: “We are working with Allied Healthcare, the Care Quality Commission and the Association of Directors of Social Services to urgently clarify and address the situation. 

“In partnership with NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group, we recently implemented a robust new framework to ensure there is sufficient resilience within the local care system to meet demand for services. 

“We can therefore provide reassurance that people’s care and support needs will continue to be met. “The safety, wellbeing and care needs of our residents will always be our main priority.”

The Care Quality Commission has continued to monitor the financial sustainability of Allied Healthcare since it secured a Company Voluntary Arrangement in May.

A spokesperson for Allied Healthcare said: “We are surprised and deeply disappointed by CQC Market Oversight’s decision, which we regard as premature and unwarranted.

“We have demonstrated throughout our discussions with the regulator that Allied Healthcare’s operations are sustainable and safe, that we have secured a potential replacement of our credit facility, that there is no risk to continuity of care and that we have a long-term business plan in place that will continue to deliver quality care across the UK.

“The CQC has disregarded these assurances in spite of the robust evidence we have provided.

“By issuing a Stage 6 notification, the CQC is putting significant pressure on already stretched and pressurised local authorities and clinical commissioning groups.

“Continuity of quality care is our number one priority. We will continue to provide the services entrusted to Allied Healthcare and will work closely with all commissioners of care throughout this period.”