Care provider improves but more needed
A care provider has been told improvement is still required despite being moved out of special measures.
The CQC had rated Homebased Care, based at The Rock Centre, Lichfield Street, Walsall as inadequate in October and despite improving, it has now been rated as 'requires improvement' by the health watchdog.
Issues surrounding the timing of care visits and the handling of informal complaints were noted by inspectors, who rated the provider as requiring improvement in each of the five categories it grades homes and services on.
These are safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness and leadership.
The CQC report on the provider said: "We saw some care visits could be completed two hours late or early on a regular basis.
"Management could not provide a clear explanation as to why this continued to happen.
"People told us they were happy with the support given by care staff when they arrived, however call times did not always fit their needs.
"One person's blood sugar levels were being impacted by late care visits preventing them from having meals close in time to the administration of their insulin.
"The management team told us they were working to make improvements.
"Some people and their relatives told us they were not always happy with the management of complaints made informally, in particular around issues such as late calls.
"One relative said, "I have told the bosses we can't deal with this [late calls] but nothing has changed".
"They told us, "They make excuses about staffing levels and traffic etc. but no one from the office tells me.
"They never apologise".
"We did see that informal complaints raised with the service around issues such as call times were not recorded in the complaints system.
"This can mean that quality assurance processes and audits may not identify the volume of concerns being raised by people and their relatives."
Despite the concerns of inspectors, it was noted that improvements had been made, with the provider now moved out of special measures.
After an inspection last October, the home was rated inadequate and told to improve after a carer allegedly shouted at a person, while another being cared for was dropped from a hoist – but bosses at the provider were found to be unaware of the problems.
The latest inspection report reads: "At this inspection we found significant improvements had been made although further improvements were still required.
"People felt improvements had been made in the service and management team in the months leading up to our inspection."
Homebased Care were unavailable for comment.
