Weston-super-Mare care agency 'put people's safety at risk'

Bright Care Agency is now based in Weston-super-Mare, having previously been based in Northampton

A care agency which put "people's safety at significant risk" and had untrained staff administering medicines has been put in special measures.

Bright Care Agency, in Weston-super-Mare, held "inadequate" care plan information and gave inaccurate details about the number of people it supported, inspectors concluded.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) staff found it suffered from a "lack of oversight and governance in all areas".

The agency was contacted for comment.

Following an inspection on 23 October, the CQC discovered seven breaches of regulations relating to safe care and treatments.

In one case, a member of staff had not completed an application form, had never been interviewed or had any recruitment checks carried out before they were employed by the agency.

A manager told the CQC the agency had done no checks because they believed the staff member was self-employed.

There was a "lack of assurance" that clients were safe from potential abuse or neglect, inspectors said.

They initially arrived unannounced at the agency's headquarters to carry out the work but found no staff there to support it.

An inspection started three days later, the CQC's report stated.

In March, inspectors had found Bright Care Agency "required improvement" but it has now been rated "inadequate" and placed in special measures as a result.

If the CQC does not propose to cancel the agency's registration it will be re-inspected within six months.