Islington Council axes care firm’s home help contract

A PRIVATE care company has had its £1.5million contract for looking after elderly, disabled or mentally ill Islington residents in their own homes terminated by the council after just five months.

It is understood a number of complaints have been made about the service provided by Care UK since it was controversially awarded a new contract in April – many concerning missed or late appointments.

Liberal Democrat-run Islington Council says the shock decision was “triggered by the failure of Care UK to sign a formal contract and problems in the performance of the new contract”.

Now Islington Council is facing renewed pressure to axe Care UK’s separate 25-year contract to run Lennox House residential care home, in Durham Road, Holloway.

Last summer the manager of Lennox House resigned after it emerged the bodies of two dead pensioners had been left in their beds for two days before being taken to a mortuary.

Councillor Catherine West, leader of Islington’s opposition Labour group, said: “While we welcome the news, it is long overdue and raises serious questions about the council’s continuing partnership with Care UK. This remains despite last year’s failings.”

An independent investigation also found that Lennox House staff failed to properly monitor the deteriorating health of diabetic pensioner Win Bone, 83, a dementia sufferer who died in December 2007.

Mrs Bone’s niece, Irene Clarke, said she was “delighted” the company’s homecare contract had been axed. “I have no faith left in Care UK,” said Ms Clarke. “It doesn’t surprise me. It’s deeply disturbing all round.”

Sheila Roberts, a Care UK spokeswoman, defended the company’s record. She said: “We are completely taken aback by the decision from Islington Council. This is a new contract which started only recently and we were working closely with the council to bring the service to the same standards that we have been providing for Islington residents for many years. This will be a real blow to the local people we employ and to the service users that they care for.”

She added: “Lennox House is home to over 60 local people and is much loved by its residents. We are delighted to now also have an objective endorsement of the quality of care provided at the home with the recent award of a ‘good’ rating from the independent body the Care Quality Commission.”

Councillor Ursula Woolley, Islington Council’s executive member for health and adult social care, said: “We have made the decision carefully and decided that clients’ needs will be better served with a different model of care from another provider.”

Mike Calvert, of Islington Unison, added: “Care UK still runs residential care homes via an Islington contract and these should also be brought back in-house.”

Care UK’s homecare service caters for over 100 adults in the south of the borough. This takes the form of visiting people in their own home and providing assistance with domestic chores and personal care as specified in a care plan.

It was one of four private firms to successfully bid to run Islington’s homecare services five months ago. Its three-year contract now ends in December.

In February, Hertfordshire County Council also axed homecare services provided by Care UK – the first-ever time the firm had had such a contract terminated.