An award-winning entrepreneur has leapt to the defence of his care company after it was criticised by watchdog inspectors for being unsafe and poorly led.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) undertook an unannounced inspection of WiiCare on September 12 and 13 following a series of complaints over the way it delivers care to people in Gravesend, Dartford, Swanley and Medway.

Both safety and leadership were described as inadequate in a report released last week, which has led to Kent County Council taking steps to reduce the number of people it places under the company’s care.

Founder Neil Coombs insisted all issues highlighted in the report had been resolved, and KCC was happy with the service provided, but a council spokesman said it would no longer be placing anyone with WiiCare.

They said: “Our priority is the safety and wellbeing of anyone receiving home care. Following complaints and the CQC report we are no longer placing anyone with this provider and we are finding alternatives for those who have raised concerns.

“We are also reviewing the remaining people receiving care packages from this provider as a matter of urgency as a result of safeguarding concerns.”

WiiCare provides care to 48 people for KCC. Ten are seeking a new provider.

Mr Coombs, who is from Gravesend, said his company would not take on any more users via KCC until the new year due to staffing shortages, especially in Swanley.

However, he said KCC “needed” Wiicare and could not afford to stop using them completely, nor had he been given any indication that this would be the case.

Mr Coombs was recently recognised for his work in setting up the Rochester-based care company by winning the NatWest Enterprise Award at the Celebrate Success Awards. He started WiiCare after battling back from redundancy and depression.

WiiCare, which also provides Medway Council, is still rated ‘good’ for being effective, caring and responsive, although these ratings have not been updated since April 2015. These areas were not looked at by inspectors during the latest inspection.

The 32-year-old said he was proud of the progress his firm had made since it was set up five years ago, and expected positive feedback from the CQC when inspectors return later this month.

He continued: “There were two areas that were rated inadequate, but overall we are still good. If the CQC came to inspect us today or tomorrow I’m confident we’d be rated good or outstanding.”

Last week’s report stated WiiCare did not employ enough staff, provide them with proper support, or pay on time, and there were no methods in place for accidents, incidents and complaints to be properly recorded.

The report featured testimonies from people unhappy with the level of care they or their family had received from WiiCare, which sends carers into people’s homes to assist the elderly, disabled, those with mental health problems and dementia.

One member of staff was allocated 34 care visits in just one day, 37 just five days later, and another 41 the following day.

"If the CQC came to inspect us today or tomorrow I’m confident we’d be rated good or outstanding" Neil Coombs

The report added: “The staff member could not have visited that amount of people within the 14.5 hours they had been rota’d to work.”

Mr Coombs blamed staff pay delays on a delay in the firm’s own payments from KCC. The council said all payment issues had been resolved.

Mr Coombs said: “We have deployed more office staff to manage this and split the workload up so the carers get a lot more support.”

One of those unhappy with WiiCare’s service is Paul Billing, 40, who lives with partner Eve, five-year-old son Charlie, and 71-year-old mum Maureen in Bramblefield Close, Longfield.

Wiicare has been the family’s provider since being assigned by Kent County Council in April as Mr Billing’s mother has Alzheimer’s, dementia and multiple sclerosis.

He has written to Mr Coombs but says he has not received a response. The CQC report noted that people did not always get a “satisfactory response” to their complaints.

Mr Billing said: “We let a lot of things go to start with but when we continued to have issues we wanted them resolved.”

One one occasion, Mr Billing says his mother went without food, water or a trip to the toilet for eight hours after carers missed an appointment while the rest of the family were out.

Mr Billing said staff had recently left his porch and front door open following a short visit while the family were out.

KCC is in the process of finding the family a new care provider. Mr Coombs said he was working hard to ensure a successful transition.