Care standards slipping

8.05.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 16th Jul 2008

At the County Council meeting yesterday, more than three months after the start of the new home care contracts, provided by Care UK and Supporta Care, Tory-run Hertfordshire County Council was forced to admit that it is still not happy with the provision of home care.

Care UK provide care North Herts and Supporta Care in St Albans and Three Rivers District. All three contracts are still suspended.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor Nick Hollinghurst said: 'These continuing problems call into question the rigour of the re-tendering process and the competence with which this was carried out. Adult Care Services have clearly failed in their assessment of the ability of these companies to deliver against the contracts that they were awarded.'

While this mess is being sorted out there have been knock on effects. Nick continued: 'The department is struggling to patch up the situation. As a consequence it is having to divert resources from other activities. This is leading to delayed assessments, delayed transfers out of hospital, missed care visits and errors on billing, leaving customers being charged for services they have not received.'