HARINGEY Council has scrapped their contract with a care provider after a TV documentary exposed “serious failings”.

A joint investigation by the Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches reported last night the Haringey branch of Sevacare, which is a home care service, was providing “poor” care for people in their own homes.

Some of the failings included carers being late or missing appointments, along with visits being cut short and care plans not being followed.

Joe Derrett, a spokesman for the council, admitted the care company will no longer be used within the borough following the investigation.

He said: “We were extremely disappointed to learn of practices at Sevacare, a home care provider, which fall well-below the high standards we expect in Haringey.

“We have previously raised serious concerns about this agency to the Care Quality Commission which led to them carrying out a formal inspection.”

Mr Derrett added the council has been advising clients to find alternative care since the enquiry began.

He said: “Following that investigation we stopped placing people with Sevacare and met with all those who were already receiving services from them, explaining our concerns and giving them the option to switch to an alternative provider.

“We also worked closely with the Care Quality Commission to take a number of actions focused on improving Sevacare’s performance.

“Given our ongoing concerns we will no longer be paying any funds to Sevacare and we will be advising all existing clients not to use them.

“We are contacting all Sevacare users again to explain what alternative options are available to them.”

The CQC investigated the care service in November 2015 and a restriction was placed on Sevacare Haringey to prevent new clients being taken on.

The branch was then removed from Sevacare’s registration on February 15, with the latest revelations in the media being described as “serious failings in care in people’s own homes”.

Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector of adult social care at the CQC, believed the care services provided by Sevacare in Haringey were “unacceptable”.

She said: “When providers are paid to care for people in vulnerable circumstances, they must ensure that care is safe, compassionate and high quality.

“The examples of poor care, as uncovered by Dispatches and by The Sunday Times, are completely unacceptable and in particular, confirm the significant concerns we have had about Sevacare’s Haringey branch over the past year.

“Our concerns were so serious at the Haringey branch that we used our toughest enforcement powers to close it down.”

Francesca Dobson, a spokeswoman for Sevacare, said the company does not “tolerate” failings in care service.

She said: “We apologise that proper process was not always followed by individual carers and we have taken action where appropriate to suspend the individuals involved.

“We have also reached out to the people that were filmed and they have all confirmed they are happy with the support they receive day to day, demonstrating that these are isolated examples, rather than common practice.

“We will also be carrying out a review of all our branches – to ensure that we are providing the best possible care.