Care UK to withdraw homecare contracts Norfolk County Council

Homecare contracts providing services for just over 200 people in the Broadland area of Norfolk are to be re-let after Care UK and Norfolk County Council agreed to terminate their contracts in that part of the county.

The decision follows a re-emergence of some of the organisational problems that occurred in 2013 after Care UK took over two contracts in Broadland.

In recent weeks, there have been a number of missed homecare visits and the company has struggled to deliver the service in the Broadland area to a standard that either the council or Care UK are satisfied with.

This has led to both parties agreeing that the County Council’s contracts with the company in the Broadland area should be terminated by mutual consent.

Care UK will then focus on providing a good quality service in its other homecare contracts in the Great Yarmouth and north Norfolk areas, which predate the Broadland contract.

People receiving homecare from Care UK in the Broadland area should have received letters last week informing them of the decision.

With close monitoring and assistance from the council’s quality assurance team, Care UK will continue to provide homecare services in the area while Norfolk County Council gradually transfers responsibility to an alternative provider or providers.

The County Council expects to appoint replacement providers during July, with the handover of services being carefully managed jointly over the following weeks. In the meantime, individual ‘spot purchasing’ of homecare services from other providers will be used as necessary by the council.

Sue Whitaker, Chair of the Adult Social Care Committee on Norfolk County Council, said: “Last year, when there were difficulties with the contracts, we said we would not hesitate to act if the situation recurred. We have been monitoring things very closely and have taken quick action which I firmly believe is in everyone’s best interests.

“The company has accepted that it cannot provide the level of service we require. Making this change will allow them to concentrate on maintaining a high level of service in North Norfolk and Great Yarmouth.

“This is absolutely no criticism of the front line staff who have on the whole provided brilliant care, day in, day out and I very much hope they will continue to do that in the future, albeit under different management.”

Donna Cousins, Director of Quality and Governance for Care UK Community Services said: “We apologise to people who have experienced difficulties with their service over recent weeks. Relinquishing the Broadland area will allow us to focus our attention on delivering a high quality of care to the people in the other areas of Norfolk that we will continue to be responsible for. Over the next few weeks, we will work closely with Norfolk County Council to ensure a smooth handover of the service.”

Norfolk County Council will receive compensation from Care UK for the extra expenses it incurs, in keeping with the terms of the contract. There will be no financial impact on the Norfolk taxpayer as a result of the agreement to end the contract, which had originally been due to continue for another two years.