‘Inadequate’ care service put under threat of closure

ACARE service with staff ‘not assured of having the relevant skills, knowledge or experience’ has been branded inadequate and threatened with closure.

Cheshire East Care at Home Group, run out of Charter House, in Macclesfield, has received a stinging report following a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection.

As well as being rated inadequate overall, it was given the same grade in sub-categories of safety and leadership and the service has now been placed in special measures.

The inspection, prompted in part by reported concerns over care quality and recruitment, found five breaches of regulation.

Breaches were regarding safe care and treatment, staffing, safeguarding, fit and proper persons, and good governance.

The company says issues were caused by ‘leadership and communication shortfalls’ magnified by the Covid pandemic and steps have already been taken to address them.

Among specific criticisms were clients being placed at risk of potential harm as staff did not have access to the relevant information and correct procedures not always being followed for administering medicines properly.

Others were staff starting work before checks being carried out, the reporting of safeguarding concerns and clients not having enough control over their own lives.

The report said: “We were not assured all staff had the relevant skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their role safely and effectively.”

It then detailed what action could be taken should a further inspection within six months not be up to scratch.

”If the provider has not made enough improvement within this time frame. And there is still a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall rating, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures,” said the report.

”This will mean we will begin the process of preventing the provider from operating this service. This will usually lead to cancellation of their registration or to varying the conditions of the registration.”

Cheshire East Care at Home provides support an care for people in their homes, helping with tasks such as eating and personal hygiene as well as, in some cases, wider social care.

At the time of the inspection, at the end of 2020, it had 38 clients.

This was the service’s first inspection as it only began in March last year.

In the sub-categories of effectiveness, responsiveness and was the service caring a rating of requires improvement was given.

The CQC did say staffing levels were sufficient, carers ‘usually visited’ at the expected time and praised staff for being ‘kind in their approach’.

It was also stated staff were aware of Covid infection control practices and guidance on the use of PPE.

Cheshire East Care at Home will be moved out of special measures - which leads to more stringent reviews - if it is no longer rated as inadequate across any category.

A spokesman for the company said: “We are clearly disappointed with the findings of the CQC report and will be working closely with the CQC and Cheshire East Council to rectify all identified shortfalls.

“Many of the issues identified have been as a result of leadership and communication shortfalls compounded by Covid.

“We have already taken a number of actions to address these issues including the appointment of a new registered manager, quality manager and area manager all of whom will support the delivery of the action and improvement plan.

“We strive for excellence as is deserved and expected by those for whom we care and their loved ones.

“We respect the report findings and pledge to rectify all shortfalls in the service