Crucial home care services for elderly and vulnerable people in Norfolk could be disrupted at the end of this month, the health care regulator has warned.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has raised serious concerns about the future of Allied Healthcare which is one of the largest home care providers in England and provides care services across 84 local authorities, including Norfolk County Council (NCC).
The firm provides a range of services such as help with washing and dressing, preparing meals, and managing medication for around 150 people in Norfolk.
The CQC has written to 84 councils which commission care services through Allied Healthcare to notify them of its concerns about the firm's future, which come after it announced it was struggling with debts in April this year.
While Allied Healthcare has confirmed funding until the end of the month, the CQC said that it has not received 'adequate assurance' that the company can continue to operate from December onwards.
The regulator said it has been monitoring the Allied Health's situation 'closely' to ensure that care continues for people who receive home care from the firm.
But Allied Healthcare has said the CQQ's warnings are 'premature and unwarranted', that there is 'no risk to continuity of care' and the firm has a 'long-term business plan in place that will [enable it to] continue to deliver quality care across the UK.'
A spokesperson for NCC said the authority was also 'monitoring the situation closely' : 'We have been made aware that Allied Healthcare may not be a position to continue to provide care to Norfolk residents.
'As a local authority, we commission home support contracts and other care packages with Nestor Primecare, trading as Allied Healthcare and are currently monitoring the situation closely to assess the resilience of these services.
'We will work closely with Allied Healthcare to ensure staffing levels do not cause any risk to people who receive these services through NCC or privately.'
Anyone who has concerns about the care they or a loved one are receiving, should contact the council on 0344 800 8020.
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