Homecare firm removed from special measures – but told it must still improve on safety

A homecare firm branded ‘inadequate’ in a damning report last year has been taken out of special measures – but told it must still improve on safety.

Rochdale-based Community Careline Services was given the lowest possible rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in November, after inspectors found care visits were being ‘excessively delayed’ and people ‘could not be cared for safely’.

When officials inspected again last month, they found the service – run by Rochcare UK Ltd – had made enough progress to be removed from special measures. It is now rated as ‘requires improvement’.

A new report says that people who used the Drake Street service were ‘treated with dignity and their rights to privacy and independence were respected’. It also notes that people were ‘protected from the risk of abuse’ and ‘supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives’.

Concerns still remained over safety, with the report noting that ‘some aspects of the service were not always safe’ and there was an ‘increased risk that people could be harmed’.

Many of these concerns centred on the safe use of medicines. Inspectors found the service had not made enough improvement in this respect, placing people ‘at risk of harm’ and remaining in breach of care regulations.

The report notes that Medicines Administration Records (MAR) ‘did not always reflect all medicines people were prescribed’.

“For example, staff had recorded in the care records of one person when additional medicines had been administered and not the MAR,” it adds. “There was a risk medicines could be missed if MAR was not accurate.”

Some MARs also had different instructions to the medicine labels – meaning inspectors could not be sure people received their medicines properly.

And risks were found to not always be fully assessed and managed.

Care records had been developed with some information about how to manage people’s risks, inspectors noted, ‘but the information was ‘basic and required more details and personalisation’.

The service had also failed to ensure that governance and management oversight was robust and effective, placing people ‘at risk of harm’

Officials noted that some audit procedures – which would have identified some of the shortfalls found during the inspection – were yet to be implemented.

On a more positive note, staffing was being effectively managed and the service was no longer in breach of regulations in this respect.

But feedback was ‘mixed’ in relation to the timing of people’s visits, staffing numbers and missed calls. Officials have made a recommendation in relation to staff levels, monitoring and allocation of visits.

A spokesperson for Rochcare said: “Rochcare are proud that CQC have recognised the significant improvements made at Community Careline Services in this report, however we understand that further changes are required to ensure both the care provided and the day to day running of the service meets the high standard Rochcare expect. 

“In response to this report, management of the service have immediately developed a comprehensive action plan and will continue to communicate and monitor the effectiveness of these improvements with the team of carers and the people they support.  

“Rochcare shall continue to make noticeable improvements to the service, as advised by CQC, and are committed to working closely with the entire Community Careline team, the local authority and the people that we care for alongside their families to ensure that the people in our care receive the highest standard of care possible.”

The CQC will now request an action plan from Rochcare and work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress of the service.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter