Inspectors find care agency 'did not have enough staff to cover shifts'

The Care Quality Commission found Unique Care Network Limited, in Smethwick, did not have enough staff to cover shifts.

Patients also struggled to understand some care-workers due to ‘language barriers’, a damning report said.

CQC inspectors rated the care agency, which cares for 45 people at their own homes, as ‘inadequate’ following a visit in January.

• READ the CQC report here

The report said: “The service was not safe. The risks to people’s health and safety were not consistently identified or managed, which placed them at risk of harm.

“The provider had not ensured there were sufficient staff deployed so that people had their care calls at times they needed.

“This had impacted on people’s health and caused distress. Staff vacancies were not covered and existing staff were stretched in their capacity to cover calls.

“People told us they did not always feel safe because the service was unreliable and staff did not always support them safely.

“Not all staff followed procedures to reduce risks of infection to people.”

The report continued: “Some people found it difficult to build a rapport with different staff undertaking care calls

“Some people described language barriers affected their care. They described a lack of respect from some staff. People did not feel involved in decisions about their care.”

Gabriel Lombe Sichangwa, the manager at Unique Care Network Limited based in Oldbury Road, declined to comment.

The care agency’s patients range from young to elderly patients and those who suffer with dementia, health conditions and disabilities.

The agency was rated as ‘inadequate’ across two categories out of a total five, which were for safety and leadership. In the other three, which were caring, responsiveness and effectivenesses, the agency was rated as ‘requiring improvement’.

A follow-up inspection will be made in six months time. The care agency will be kept under a watchful eye while being in special measures.