Powys County Council has acted to reassure some of its care home residents after national media reports that private healthcare provider BUPA is transferring the running of some of its homes to a third party.
BUPA manages 12 residential homes for the elderly in Powys on behalf of Powys County Council and has had those contracts for 16 years.
However Powys council has reacted strongly to reports in the national media saying BUPA is considering selling some of its homes to another operator, HC-One.
Responding to the reports, Powys council leader Cllr Rosemarie Harris said: "We have not had any formal confirmation from BUPA regarding this matter and have not been involved in discussions.
"We consider that BUPA’s actions are unlawful and we are considering taking legal action.
"We are seeking an urgent meeting with BUPA but we do not anticipate any change to service delivery.
"All services commissioned by the council with BUPA are under contract and we will be seeking assurances from the company about future operations and have requested an urgent meeting with the company regarding today's developments."
Responding to the news that Powys council is considering legal action against BUPA after discovering it is transferring the running of care homes to a third party, Carmen Bezzina, UNISON organiser said, “This news will leave many vulnerable residents in Powys sick with worry that the level of care they receive is at risk. We know too, that any new company will look to make savings by squeezing the wages and working conditions of the carers. We call on Powys council to immediately allay these fears by bringing all care services back in-house. “When Powys originally outsourced care, UNISON warned it spelt disaster for the local community. We have a social care crisis and private care companies are always motivated first by profit rather than what is best for individuals and their families and the care workforce. This is not the world we want to live in. “Removing care services from local council control and democratic accountability, means people have no say whatsoever about the quality of the service. Councils are left with no power to intervene to positively shape the lives of their citizens. “If care services are ever in difficulty, the best solution is not to privatise but to devise an in-house improvement plan with staff, trades unions and users, which places the quality of service and users at the core."