Care agency found to be ‘inadequate’ after probe
ASOUTHPORT based care agency has been placed into special measures after being found to be ‘inadequate’ following a Care Quality Commission inspection.
Southport Home Care, based on Eastbourne Road, provides care services across Southport and Formby.
The CQC has now placed the agency into ‘special measures’ following an unannounced inspection last month.
The agency was judged to be ‘inadequate’ in relation to safety and leadership and found to ‘require improvemwent’ in relation to effectiveness, care and responsiveness.
The CQC’s report into the agency identified a number of specific failures. They were; No registered manager. One person had been subject to inappropriate care which undermined their rights and welfare.
The agency’s safeguarding system was not robust enough to identify and report issues of concern.
Medicines were not administered in line with the agency’s policies and procedures. A lack of adequate training for staff. A lack of evidence to assure that care staff had the necessary qualifications, skill and experience to carry out care tasks.
Concerns about the recruitment of staff and pre-employment checks.
The report said that because the agency had been found to be inadequate in relation to safety and leadership, it had now been placed into special measures.
But the report did praise some features of the agency’s service. It stated: “The feedback we received on the inspection evidenced a caring service. People being supported and their rela- tives commented positively on how the staff approached care
“All family members and people spoken with on the inspection felt confident to express concerns and complaints. Issues were dealt with and the service was responsive to any concerns raised.
“Both managers understood the concept of a ‘person-centred approach’ to care. Meaning care was centred on the needs of each individual rather than the person having to fit into a set model within the service.
“People using the service, relatives and staff told us they felt the culture of the organisation was fair and open although there had been concerns in the recent past. They felt things were better now.”
The CQC will carry out another inspection in six months. If the CQC finds that that the agency is still ‘inadequate’ action could be taken to begin preventing it from operating.