The Health Secretary has called for an urgent investigation into one of the UK's largest private care providers after serious concerns were raised about its treatment of vulnerable adults, including cases in Shepton Mallet.

Wes Streeting has urged the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to take action against Lifeways, after an ITV News investigation uncovered allegations of neglect at multiple residential and supported living homes across the country.

Among the shocking cases exposed was 37-year-old David Hembury, an autistic, non-verbal man who was living in Grove Court, a Lifeways supported living home in Shepton Mallet, until August 2024.

David's sister, Lisa, was on her way to visit him when she found him wandering outside, barefoot and alone, despite his care plan stating that he should never be left unsupervised in the community.

"He shouldn't be outside on his own," Lisa told ITV. "It's really dangerous for David. He could go off in a car with a stranger, he could get run over."

Shockingly, when Lisa returned David to Grove Court, staff were completely unaware he had even left the building.

Further concerns were raised about the state of his accommodation, which Lisa described as filthy and unfit to live in, with rotting food in the fridge and a bathroom floor that "looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a very long time."

David's care at Lifeways was costing Somerset Council £90,000 a year, yet basic safety and hygiene standards were allegedly not being met.

Following these serious failings, a safeguarding investigation by Somerset Council in December 2024 found that David had been subject to 'neglect and organisational abuse'.

"They're not looking at David as a person," Lisa said. "He's just a means of making money."

Reacting to the ITV investigation, Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the allegations as "extremely serious", stating:

"These allegations are extremely serious. Whether we are in receipt of care, or people we love are in receipt of care, we want to know that people are being treated well, with high-quality care and with the dignity and respect they deserve. I will be raising these very serious allegations with the Care Quality Commission."

A spokesperson for Somerset Council acknowledged the failings, stating: "We take all concerns about the quality of care provided to our residents very seriously, and in this case, we are sorry the care was well below the standards we expect."

Lifeways, which provides care for over 4,000 vulnerable adults across the UK, responded by saying: "We cannot talk about the individual people we support and have supported, other than to say that we are truly sorry when anyone feels we have let them down."

The company, which came under new ownership in 2023, said it had invested over £10m in training, buildings, and systems to improve quality, and stated that 85% of its regulated services are rated 'Good' or compliant.

However, they admitted that "unacceptable behaviour is, thankfully, extremely rare, but we have zero tolerance of it."

The investigation has raised further concerns about the quality of care provided by large private companies, particularly as many local authorities, including Somerset Council, continue to rely on outsourced care due to funding pressures.

With Lifeways receiving millions in taxpayer-funded contracts, families and campaigners are now demanding greater oversight, accountability, and improvements in care standards.

For those affected by this issue or with concerns about care provision in Shepton Mallet, Somerset Council has urged residents to report any safeguarding concerns directly.