Councillor's care firm no longer rated 'inadequate'

A care company that has a Conservative councillor as one of its directors is no longer in special measures but still requires improvement, according to the regulator.

Ranis Healthcare, which cares for people with dementia and disabilities and whose directors include Cambridgeshire County Council's Leedo George, was rated "inadequate" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in the summer.

The CQC now says there have been some improvements, but added: "We found this was a work in progress. Improvements were ongoing and it was evident that some changes were yet be fully embedded."

George said: "​The transition from 'inadequate" to 'requires improvement' is progress, but it is not the finish line."

The latest assessment found that while the service was no longer in breach of regulations in relation to person-centred care, risk management, safeguarding, staffing and safe recruitment, it remained in breach of the governance regulation.

It said a new management team was in place and a "full review of systems and processes had taken place".

The CQC said: "People told us they had seen improvements in the quality of care provided by Ranis Healthcare Limited.

"A person told us: 'They have stepped up in the last few months. There have been improvements in the way they work.'"

The council's contract with Ranis began two years before George became a member of the authority.

When contacted by the BBC for comment, George pointed to a social media post in which he said: "Navigating the challenges at Ranis Healthcare has, in many ways, given me a deeper, first-hand understanding of the pressures facing the social care system – knowledge I intend to use to advocate for better services."

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