Advinia Health Care has warned a Liverpool care home is being placed under “severe pressure” due to delayed commissioner payments.

The care home provider issued the warning after Stonedale Lodge Residential and Nursing Care Home in Croxteth came out of special measures.

An Advinia spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our residents is our priority, and so we are pleased that the Care Quality Commission has seen significant improvements at the home since their inspection last year.

“Stonedale Lodge looks after residents with high dependency and care needs. It is important that commissioners of care provide adequate funding for these additional needs for the home to continue to invest in the standards of care, which currently does not seem to be a priority with the commissioners.

“Currently, Liverpool and Knowsley council, and integrated health care bodies, owe Advinia circa £2 million in back pay and delayed payments and delayed assessments of highly dependent residents. 

“This is causing severe pressure on the home to deliver safe services and for the home to maintain its rating and continue to remain open. Government-funded bodies need to fulfil their statutory obligations for prompt payments, assessments of additional care and paying interest where payment is delayed.”

A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said: “Liverpool City Council makes all contractual payments due to care homes on a prompt and regular basis.  

“The council is in the process of arranging a meeting with representatives of Advinia to discuss the issues it has raised further.” 

A Knowsley Council spokesperson said: “Knowsley Council is investing nearly £12 million in 2023/24 to ensure care providers can pay adult social care workers the Real Living Wage. Advinia has accepted these rates and as a result will receive an increase of 18.1% for standard residential care and 16.7% for dementia residential care. The increased rates have been backdated to 1 April 2023, with the first payment of these rates made on 7 June 2023. The council does not have any outstanding payments due to Advinia and the provider is fully aware of the council’s process to review the relevant care packages of any residents placed in their care.”