Home care service not always safe - CQC report

Inspectors flagged issues with risk assessments

A home care provider has been rated as "requires improvement" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after concerns over patient safety.

Errand Plus and Personal Services, based on Whiffler Road in Norwich, provides care and assistance to people living independently.

After an inspection in August, the CQC maintained the "requires improvement" status after the last inspection in September 2020.

Errand Plus and Personal Services said that it views the report as an "opportunity to grow".

The CQC said that it decided to inspect the home due to the service's new location, the amount of time since the last inspection, a new manager and concerns raised by the local authority.

During their assessment, inspectors found that the service was "not always safe".

"The safeguarding process was not clear and there were occasions where relevant parties like CQC had not been notified of safeguarding concerns that had been raised," the report said.

"The reporting process was unclear and ineffective and this contributed to actions being missed."

'At risk'

Inspectors also raised concerns about the running of the services and flagged issues with risk assessments.

The report said: "We reviewed several care records and we noted the service had failed to identify where risk assessments were required."

"Where risk assessments were in place they did not reflect the accurate needs of people within the service and this put people at risk."

Responding to the report, Kolawole Tiamiyy Abd-Rahmane, the registered service manager, said that he was "naturally disappointed" at the rating, but viewed it as a chance to grow.

"Our unwavering commitment is to prioritise the needs of our service users and their families, continuously working to meet and exceed expectations," he said.

"While several areas were acknowledged as meeting expectations, others require further development to align with the high standards we strive to uphold."

He said the company was committed to working with the CQC and local authorities.