Inspectors raise concerns over staff training Care agency told to make improvements

A care agency has been told to improve by inspectors for a second time.

CCK Support, which carries out home visits in Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay and surrounding areas, was visited by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) last month.

The watchdog found that staff providing personal care to clients with physical disabilities, mental health problems and dementia had not been properly trained to move people or use hoist equipment safely.

The company, based in Herne Bay, prides itself on its its ability to look after people with “a wide range of complex needs” and its “experienced staff”.

But after failing to make sure its workers had the right training to “carry out the duties they are employed to perform”, the care company was found to be in breach of the Health & Social Care Act.

It was also found to be “ineffective” in identifying shortfalls in its services and developing systems to monitor quality, which was deemed to be a second breach.

However, the CQC, which gave 72 hours notice of its inspection, found that improvements had been made since its last visit in September 2017.

It was found then that staff did not know how to report safeguarding concerns, and therefore could not ensure that clients were protected from abuse or improper treatment, that med- icines were not being managed and administered safely and that the CQC had not been notified of events and incidents where it should have been.

The watchdog’s latest report rated CCK Support as ‘good’ for being safe, caring and responsive.

But it said that it still ‘requires improvement’ to ensure its personal care services are effective and well-led.

The company was also praised for having kind and caring staff who treat people with respect, with one client saying their carers were “like part of the family.”

A spokesman for CCK Support says steps have already been taken to address the concerns raised in the report, and that its staff are currently being trained in safe moving and handling practices.