Home / Health / Health Trusts Paid Millions to Cost-Cutting Firm
Health Trusts Paid Millions to Cost-Cutting Firm
26 Aug
Summary
- Two health trusts paid over £200,000 each to Liaison Care.
- Concerns raised about remote assessments and oversight.
- A firm was ordered to stop operating but the ban was lifted.
Two health trusts in Northern Ireland, the Northern Trust and the South Eastern Trust, collectively paid over £400,000 to a private consultancy, Liaison Care, for its services in reducing care package costs. The firm specializes in reviewing high-cost cases. This engagement has prompted scrutiny, with Department of Health officials having previously expressed concerns regarding the company's remote online assessment methods conducted from England.
Officials noted potential issues with regulatory oversight, as remote assessments might fall outside Northern Ireland's established systems for complaint and conduct investigations. The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) had initially ordered Liaison Care to stop operating in March, following complaints from patient relatives. However, this order was subsequently lifted after the RQIA concluded the company did not require registration.
The Northern Ireland Social Care Council confirmed that no social care workers employed by Liaison Care are registered with them. The Belfast Health Trust has apologized to two families whose relatives' care packages, including those transferred from Muckamore Abbey Hospital, were reviewed by Liaison Care. The company stated its recommendations aid efficiency, and it works with regulatory bodies, while trusts emphasized their continued responsibility for decision-making.
