ALLIED HEALTHCARE, who provide care services across Pembrokeshire, is exploring a range of options which include ‘the sale or transition of care and support services’, the Herald can reveal.

An employee from the troubled firm, who wished to stay anonymous, has shown the Herald a letter which has been sent to all employees this afternoon (Nov 16).

In the letter, the company says that the firm is looking to ‘minimise disruption to continuity of care’.

They go on to add that ‘our absolute priority will be to maintain continuity of care for our service-users and minimise disruption to you, our employees’.

In a letter to the employees, Narinder Singh, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, said: “As you know, early last week, CQC Market Oversight – the Regulator that monitors large social care providers in England – issued what is known as a Stage 6 Notification to our Local Authority customers in England. This type of notification is intended to inform Commissioners that a Company is at risk and therefore Local Authorities or CCGs should consider making plans to ensure continuity of care.

“Unfortunately, I am writing to you today to inform you that, because of the impact of the Stage 6 notification on our business, and because the upcoming winter period is when ensuring continuity of care is most challenging, we have taken the decision to actively explore a range of options in order to minimise disruption to continuity of care.

“This will include the sale or transition of care and support services on a regional or contract-by-contract basis to alternative providers best placed to deliver care at a local level. This process will be conducted in close cooperation with all our customers.”

The letter goes on to reassure employees that they are ‘likely’ to be transferred to a new provider.

“It is our intention to transfer all of our Contracts to other providers.  This will mean that you are likely to transfer out to a new provider. When arranging the transition of our services to alternative providers, our absolute priority will be to maintain continuity of care for our service-users and minimise disruption to you, our employees.

“We will continue to trade safely while this transition process is underway and, during this period, there will be no changes to the terms of employment, salary or benefits of our employees. To reiterate, this means that you will continue to be employed by the Company and receive pay and benefits while the transition of our care services is arranged.

“I understand that this news will come as a surprise to you and may be unsettling. Please be assured that we will continue to do all we can to support you throughout this period and will respond to any concerns or questions you have throughout the process.

“On behalf of the Executive team and myself, I would like to offer our most sincere thanks for the continued support and efforts you have shown to the business during this very difficult time. We continue to remain committed to supporting you, our employees and Allied.”

A spokesperson for Allied Healthcare said: “The Stage 6 notification has negatively impacted Allied Healthcare, leading a number of customers to transfer care services to alternative providers, and disrupting staff retention and recruitment.

“These developments have intensified the impact of the challenging environment within which we operate and come immediately prior to the Christmas period, when pressures on care providers are at their highest. This has also meant that we have had to re-evaluate our long-term business plan.

“We are therefore actively exploring a range of options in order to minimise disruption to continuity of care, including the sale or transition of care and support services on a regional or contract-by-contract basis to alternative providers best placed to deliver care at a local level. Such sales or transitions will involve the transfer of staff. This process will be conducted in close cooperation with our customers.

“We continue to trade safely while this process is underway. RBS as our existing lender has agreed to extend our current credit line by up to three weeks beyond 30 November, enabling us to deliver safe continuity of care whilst we explore and implement these options.

“We will work closely with the CQC and all commissioners of care to ensure that there is minimal disruption to the care that we provide across the UK whilst this transition takes place. Continuity of care is our number one priority.”

Pembrokeshire County Council said it would like to reassure Allied Healthcare service users and their families that it has robust contingency plans in place ‘to ensure the continuity of care for customers of Allied Healthcare’

“Those plans will now be implemented”, a spokesman said.

In a statement, the Authority added: “County Council officers and staff at Allied Healthcare will continue to work closely with each other and with health colleagues and the Welsh Government to
ensure that continuity of care is maintained through this challenging time.

“We will continue to keep service users and their families briefed as the situation unfolds.
If customers do have any concerns over the weekend, they are advised to contact Allied Healthcare.”