A row has erupted between the boss of a patient transport company and a healthcare watchdog over a recent "inadequate" rating.
Inspectors for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found breaches in safe care and treatment, staffing and governance at Health Transportation Group-UK East in Norwich, which provides specialist transport to NHS patients.
In the CQC's report, inspectors said they found "systemic shortfalls that placed people at risk and did not meet the standards of a safe or well-led service."
Carolyn Jenkins, deputy director in the East of England, said: "When we inspected this service, we were concerned to find leaders hadn’t given their frontline staff the training and support they needed to keep people safe.
"Staff did their best to meet people’s needs but they were undermined by poor management."
She added: "We've shared our findings with the management and told them exactly where improvements must be made.
"We’ll continue to monitor this service closely to ensure these are made promptly and people are cared for safely in the meantime."
But Neil Berry, CEO of HTG-UK has condemned the findings, saying the "rogue" report painted a "false and distorted picture".
He said: "We have grave concerns relating to the inspection process, the report and its findings.
"The CQC inspectors chose hearsay over hard evidence and their wider organisation has failed to adequately address our challenges to the accuracy of the report.
"Despite our full co-operation, the CQC has published a distorted report which contains over 30 factual inaccuracies and other serious misrepresentations.
"As a company that always strives for continuous improvement, we are never complacent. But this inspection report paints a false and damaging picture.
"I would like to assure the many vulnerable patients who rely on us, that we will continue to provide a safe, professional and compassionate service."
The boss added he has lodged a formal complaint with the CQC's chief executive and is considering legal action against the watchdog.
In response, a spokesman for CQC said: "We follow a published factual accuracy process while compiling our reports.
"As is standard practice, upon finalisation of the report we shared with the provider details of how to request a review of our quality control processes.
"We will respond to any request for a review in a timely manner."
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