Failing borough care home bought out by leading healthcare provider

Bedford Care Home in Leigh, previously operated by healthcare giant Bupa, has been acquired by Advinia Health Care in a mass takeover of 22 facilities.

The Battersby Street home came under criticism from health watchdogs in a report released last month after seven safety regulation breaches were discovered during an unannounced routine inspection back in January.

Bupa managers at Bedford were told by the Care Quality Commission that the services “requires improvement”, however the operation was shortly bought out by Advinia Health Care.

Advinia Care Homes previously operated just one care home in the North West before the Bupa deal, in rural Cumbria.

Now the company manages seven care homes in the region, with an additional 953 beds. It has also taken over the employment of more than 3,700 staff who previously worked at Bupa.

No reductions in overall staff numbers are currently expected by the company.

The equity for the Advinia purchase, whose price has not been disclosed, was provided by Dr Sanjeev Kanoria, a liver surgeon and ex-McKinsey consultant from London, who co-founded

Advinia with his wife Sangita Kanoria.

Advinia bosses hope to apply their “quality of service” across the new homes.

Dr Sanjeev Kanoria, chairman of Advinia Health Care said: “We are interested in expansion for sure, but not for its own sake.

“Advinia Health Care is fundamentally about delivering a higher quality of service, as well as value for money.

“We want more families across the UK to benefit from our commitment to the individual needs of every resident.

“A well-run care home can make a difference to the lives of residents and loved ones alike. It has an important value in society.”

January saw the first inspection of Bedford Care Home since it had been re-registered with the CQC in December 2017. The re-registration had taken place as part of a restructuring of the company, which included the sale to Advinia.