Home care agency left client lying in own faeces

The agency was told to make "rapid" improvements in care

A care agency has been placed into special measures after one of its clients was left lying in their own faeces when a carer was late.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has downgraded Merseycare Julie Ann Limited in Liverpool, which supports about 450 people in their own homes, to an inadequate rating after an inspection earlier this year.

Inspectors found carers employed by the home care agency were regularly hours late for visits and served two warning notices that call for "widespread and rapid improvement".

A spokesperson for Merseycare Julie Ann said though the company was "disappointed" with the downgrade, it was "committed to continuous improvement".

More than 400 people were receiving support at the time of this inspection, including autistic people and people with a learning disability, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Inspectors visited in March and April after receiving information of concern about the service.

'Incredibly undignified'

Karen Knapton, CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said: "We were concerned to find that leaders didn't have the skills or knowledge to provide safe care to people, and they weren't listening to feedback from the people they were meant to care for."

She said: "A significant number of visits weren't being carried out at the correct time with some two hours late or two hours early.

"One relative told us they found their loved one lying in their own faeces due to a carer being late, which is incredibly undignified.

"It was also concerning that there were no effective systems in place to review people's care needs when they came out of hospital.

Inspectors found two breaches of regulations in relation to safe care and treatment and good management.

The move into special measures involves close monitoring of the firm to ensure people are safe while they make improvements.

The spokesperson for Merseycare Julie Ann said: "While disappointed with CQC's assessment, we have accepted it on the basis that our priority has always been, and remains, to provide safe, compassionate, and high-quality care to the people we support."