Kensington and Chelsea Council is addressing challenges in the provision of community equipment services following the liquidation of NRS Healthcare Ltd on 1 August 2025. The services affected include the provision of community equipment, telecare, and occupational therapy services, including the Complex OT service for Westminster.
The Joint Health & Wellbeing Board convened on Thursday 25 September 2025, to discuss the issue, among other topics, after NRS Healthcare Ltd, a major provider of community equipment services, entered liquidation. NRS held contracts across the UK, including Kensington and Chelsea, to provide essential equipment, telecare, and occupational therapy services.
According to the Public Reports Pack, the boroughs belonging to the London Community Equipment Consortium have undertaken several emergency direct awards to a variety of service providers. Due to the size of the Consortium, there was not a single provider who was able or willing to stand up a single service for all 21 boroughs and ICB partners in the timescales given.
To ensure continuity of service for residents requiring complex occupational therapy, The Occupational Therapy Practice (TOTP) is now providing the Complex OT service in Westminster. The council has also directly contracted 3 OTs to support a managed transition and address any residual impact from NRS's exit. The contract with TOTP is in place until 31st March 2026.
The Integrated Commissioning Team has moved quickly to commission 24/7 Health Care to deliver the temporary community equipment service for an initial 6-month period. The service went live on 28 August and provides supply of equipment, delivery, collections, repairs, storage, decontamination and servicing.
The Public Reports Pack also notes that under the Care Act 2014, the provision of community equipment services is a statutory requirement, and equipment must be prescribed based upon assessed need including to support hospital discharge, palliative and end of life care.
The council is working to minimise disruption to residents who rely on this equipment. A lessons learnt exercise is in progress through the Consortium team and further work in progress led through procurement with collaboration across teams, to develop future models and options to inform medium and longer-term commissioning of a Community Equipment Service. Integrated Commissioning are also working with procurement to support procurement options for the Complex OT service timely to coincide with contract end dates.
