Norfolkcare agency has failed to protect people’s safety and welfare says regulator

5 Apr 2012 11:39 AM

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told Guild Retirement Housing Limited that they must make improvements to comply with the essential standards of quality and safety.

Inspectors have found that the care agency has failed to protect the safety and welfare of people receiving their care.

A report published by CQC says that the provider was not meeting five essential standards inspectors looked at and in four of these areas a major concern was identified.

Providers of care services have a legal responsibility to make sure they are meeting all essential standards of quality and safety.

The visit to Guild Retirement Housing Limited, which provides domiciliary support to people in their own homes, took place in January 2012 as part of CQC’s routine programme of inspections. When inspectors visited the care agency they found the care provided was falling short of standards people should be able to expect and improvements were needed. The report, published on the CQC website highlights three major areas of concern:

Care and welfare of people who use services

Some care plans inspectors looked at were out of date and gave limited information to the needs of the person receiving care. The changing needs of individuals had not been updated in their care plans.

Safeguarding people who use services from abuse

There were no training records available on the day of the visit to confirm that staff had been provided with the appropriate training to carry out their role effectively and safely. No documentation was available to ensure that staff had been recruited appropriately or that the necessary recruitment checks had been carried out.

Requirements relating to workers

The provider was unable to produce any documentation in relation to the employment of staff. There were no records relating to the recruitment or appointment of staff, references or any evidence that Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks had been completed by current staff.

During their visit,inspectors also identified a moderate concern relating to respecting and involving people who use services.

Frances Carey, Regional Director of CQC in the East of England, said: “The failings at Guild Retirement Housing Limited are a real concern and improvements need to be made.

“CQC has been working closely with Norfolk County Council to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people receiving this service and we have told the provider where they need to improve.

“Where improvements are not made we have a range of enforcement powers that can be used, including prosecution, closure or restriction of services.”

Any regulatory decision that CQC takes is open to challenge by a registered person through a variety of internal and external appeal processes.

For further information please contact Helen Gildersleeve, regional communications officer, on 0191 233 3379. The CQC press office is also available on 0207 448 9401 or out of hours on 07917 232 143.

Notes to editors

About the Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. We make sure that care in hospitals, dental practices, ambulances, care homes, people’s own homes and elsewhere meets government standards of quality and safety – the standards anyone should expect whenever or wherever they receive care. We also protect the interests of vulnerable people, including those whose rights are restricted under the Mental Health Act.

We register services if they meet government standards, we make unannounced inspections of services – both on a regular basis and in response to concerns – and we carry out investigations into why care fails to improve. We continually monitor information from our inspections, from information we collect nationally and locally, and from the public, local groups, care workers and whistleblowers. We put the views, experiences, health and wellbeing of people who use services at the centre of our work and we have a range of powers we can use to take action if people are getting poor care.