Trowbridge care company jobs under threat as contract set to be axed

Invictus Plus Care Ltd, of 22 Silver Street, Trowbridge, was issued with a 28-day notice of contract termination by the local authority.

When the 28 days run out on July 7, the company says it will have to make up to 60 care staff immediately redundant and faces losing most of its 49 clients.

Invictus Plus Care offers live in care, supported living, domiciliary care services, night-time and respite care and caring for children.

The company’s registered manager Sally Davis says that unless her staff find new jobs, they and their families face being deported by the Home Office.

Many of them come from Zimbabwe and Pakistan on sponsorship licences and are not automatically entitled to benefits or housing.

She added: “If the contract is cancelled, the ramifications will be severe.

“We stand to lose approximately 50 clients, representing 80 per cent of our client base, which will result in a significant interruption of care for these service users.

“Our company, which has been providing care in the local area for over six years, will face immediate redundancies for up to 60 care staff members.

“Many of these employees are skilled migrant workers who have settled locally, some for over two years.

“This displacement will not only impact the care workers but also their dependents, many of whom have children enrolled in local schools and spouses employed full-time, predominantly within the care sector.

“The sudden loss of employment and community ties will cause substantial upheaval for these families and disrupt the local care ecosystem.”

Wiltshire Council leader Cllr Richard Clewer said: “We regularly review the services provided by care companies to ensure they meet our high standards.

“We have sought legal and HR advice and have decided to terminate the contract with Invictus and change the provider for our customers to ensure they continue to receive these high standards of care.

“We are working closely with those people who will have a new provider to ensure they are given as much information as possible and the change is smooth and disruption is kept to a minimum.

“We are doing everything we can to ensure staff remain employed in the sector however the TUPE process is the responsibility of Invictus as the current employer.”

The Invictus Plus Care offices in Silver Street, Trowbridge. Trevor Porter 77141-1 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Mrs Davis says Invictus Plus Care is seeking legal advice from Bristol law firm DAC Beechcroft in a bid to challenge the 28-day notice.

 In its latest Care Quality Commission inspection in February 2023, Invictus Plus Care was rated ‘Good’ for being caring, effective and responsive, but ‘Requires Improvement’ for being safe and well-led.