The hearing loss charity RNID has sold off its care and support services to a private care provider in a move that will transfer almost 600 staff from the charity.
The RNID first mooted plans to sell off its care services at the end of 2019 after it revealed it wanted to pay off its debts and focus more on its campaigning and advisory roles.
The new provider, Achieve Together, offers specialist support for people with learning disabilities, autism and associated complex needs.
The company said in a statement it had completed the transfer of the residential and community services run by the RNID.
It said it would operate the charity’s care and support services in England and Wales, and welcomed almost 600 staff from the charity.
The charity said there would not be any redundancies as a result of the deal but it was legally unable to disclose any figures relating to the sale.
It said the valuation of its care and support services had been made independently and in line with guidance from the Charity Commission, and the amount would be published in its 2021/22 annual report.
Its latest accounts show it received nearly £18m for its care and support work in 2019/20, but spent more than £20m on running these services.
The RNID said it had conducted a thorough search to find an organisation that met its strict criteria of being a provider with a strong track record and committed to ensuring continuity of care.
Achieve Together said it had already started a listening and co-production exercise to help ensure the services could transfer as smoothly as possible.
Mark Atkinson, chief executive of the RNID, said the transfer marked part of a refined strategy for the charity to have a wider impact and reach.
“To realise this strategy, we knew that we could not continue to do everything we do today,” he said.
“For this reason, our board of trustees proposed to transfer our care and support services to a new provider.
“We wanted to find an organisation we had confidence in; an organisation that shares our values and our ethos and our commitment to high quality, person-centred care.
“We believe Achieve Together is well placed to invest in our services, support them to grow and continue to run them in the future.”
Emma Pearson, chief executive of Achieve Together, said: “We are incredibly excited and proud to be welcoming RNID’s care and support services, and dedicated teams, to Achieve Together.”