Biggleswade care home rated Outstanding by CQC considering closure due to financial difficulties

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A Biggleswade care home that has received a rating of Outstanding from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) says it may be forced to close due to financial difficulties.

Knightingales Healthcare runs a homecare service on Bridge Street in the town, which was assessed during August and September.

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Despite receiving the highest possible rating for its care, the provider told the Biggleswade Chronicle that it was considering the closure of the branch because Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) had not assigned it financial support packages.

Knightingales Healthcare said it was “deeply saddened” to be considering this course of action, but added it had not been assigned packages since the implementation of a new Framework Agreement.

Knightingales Healthcare's premises on Bridge Street in Biggleswade could be forced to close despite receiving an Outstanding CQC ratingKnightingales Healthcare's premises on Bridge Street in Biggleswade could be forced to close despite receiving an Outstanding CQC rating
Knightingales Healthcare's premises on Bridge Street in Biggleswade could be forced to close despite receiving an Outstanding CQC rating

In a statement to the Chronicle Knightingales Healthcare added: “Under the current ranking system, CBC heavily prioritises price over quality, often favouring companies offering the lowest rates - even those rated as requires improvement by the CQC.

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“This emphasis on cost undermines the value of diligent training and quality service, discouraging providers who are committed to excellence from competing effectively.

“Despite an excellent Provider Assessment and Market Management Solution inspection rating, we, along with other well-established providers in Bedfordshire, have found that appeals to CBC on this matter have been unsuccessful.

“This unfortunate situation not only affects us but is reflected in similar experiences across the County, making it challenging for high-quality providers to continue delivering the level of care our communities deserve.”

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At the time of the CQC inspection, 37 people received support with personal care.

The report said there was “strong leadership which put people first”, and also praised the home for having “an open ethos with a clear vision.”

It described staff as “kind and empathetic”, and said the way they provided support was “caring and compassionate.”

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The service was praised as Outstanding in the categories of Care and Leadership, and as Good in the categories of Safety, Effectiveness and Responsiveness.

The CQC’s report added that: “Everyone we spoke with provided exceptional feedback about how caring and supportive the staff were and so often went the extra mile to ensure people’s needs were met.”

In a statement provided to the Chronicle, Mark Smith, deputy leader of Central Bedfordshire Council and executive member for adult social care, admitted the authority was in a challenging financial position.

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“We are delighted with the recent CQC rating of Outstanding for a local provider in Central Bedfordshire,” Smith said.

“Along with other local authorities across the country, we are facing a challenging financial position.

“Despite this we remain committed to ensuring quality care for residents, and we value the role homecare providers play across Central Bedfordshire.

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“We continue to engage with all of them to maintain a stable network of providers who support our commissioned placements.

“As part of the Council’s homecare contract framework, approved providers were invited to bid using their own rates.

“During this process, details on expected demand across the area were shared.

“However, we recognise that market conditions can shift, and home care providers are expected to manage these changes.”