Cambridgeshire County Council has extended an embargo on admissions to HC-One care homes by a further 12 months.

The ‘bombshell’ was revealed during one of three coroners’ inquests into the deaths of former residents of HC-One’s The Elms in Whittlesey which was one of four care homes closed by the provider last year due to staffing challenges.

Cambridgeshire County Council announced it was cancelling its £64 million block contract with HC-One in November 2022 citing the “poor performance” of The Elms which was rated Inadequate by the CQC shortly after news of its closure in October last year.

The council’s assistant director for adult social care, Donna Glover, revealed to the inquest the embargo on referrals to HC-One’s three remaining homes in the county had been  for the next 12 months.

Responding to the bombshell, a spokesperson for HC-One, said: “We are shocked and deeply disappointed by Cambridgeshire County Council’s decision, not least the unprofessional way in which it was communicated to us in open court with no prior warning or discussion.

“The council’s decision flies in the face of the feedback they have provided to us previously, the fact they haven’t visited our homes for over three months, and in March one of our homes received a Good in all areas review by the Care Quality Commission. We have also submitted exceptionally detailed plans to the council outlining how we will improve our Cambridgeshire homes.

“Taken together, all previous indications suggested we were moving in the right direction, that concerns had been allayed, and that our new local and regional management teams were making real positive progress. Indeed, we have yet to see any evidence to support a continued embargo – and certainly not one lasting until next year.

“We remain fully focused on making sure our Cambridgeshire homes are consistently delivering the right standard of care for the residents that live with us. However, in the meantime, we are seeking discussions with the council to understand their decision-making process.”