Five of the main issues with vital service

The report detailed a number of failings. Here are some of the main issues:

Flaws with care plans This is a recurring theme in the report, which observed: “In the homes we visited we found either no care plan information at all or a care plan which seriously lacked detail.

“Service users we met had returned home after a hospital admission without there being a safe and effective care plan, including risk assessments, in place.

“Staff advised us that this is common practice and that they are regularly working with no clear plan as to what is required and why.”

Reducing risks The disorganised nature of recordkeeping with the service is creating risks, the report found.

It stated: “The service continues to operate without an acceptable way of recording steps to reduce and/or mitigate known risks for service users.

“Although this was known by management we did not see that any action had been taken to address this.

“This led to known risks going unrecorded and assessed and care staff working without the required comprehensive risk assessments and guidance.”

Lack of action The Care Inspectorate was evidently frustrated at the lack of action taken over previous concerns.

The report stated: “There had been a service user survey completed around the end of December 2018/January 2019 which generated 221 responses. At the time of this inspection there had still been no action plan around this feedback that had been provided...

“When we asked staff about the Health and Social Care Standards it was evident that there was almost a complete lack of understanding of what these are.”

Lack of respect The ad hoc nature of some of the service was disrespectful to families.

The report added: “We spoke to the management about our concerns relating to some practices which evidenced a lack of respect for service users and their families.

“Specific examples of this included care reviews being completed as a computer based/desk top exercise.”

Assessing staff The report found that staff assessment was often done simply through conversations, rather than a formal process.

This meant: “Staff including management had no clear insight into what was working well and what needed to be improved.”

The full report can be accessed at www. careinspectorate.com