Archived: Nelson

Updated 10 May 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

We undertook an unannounced focused inspection of the Nelson branch and visited the head office in Lancaster on 3 March 2016 in order to speak to a Director of the company operating the service. The inspection was as a result of the Commission receiving additional information and further concerns that related to the care and welfare of people using the service. The concerns related to missed visits, administration of medication and delivery of the care provided. The inspection was undertaken by one adult social care inspector and one adult social care inspection manager.

During this inspection we spoke with members of the Local Authority Safeguarding team, the Commissioners responsible for care packages, five members of staff, a senior member of management and a Director of the Company operating the service.

We also looked at call logs records for people in receipt of care.

Updated 10 May 2016

We undertook an unannounced focused inspection of the Nelson branch on 3 March 2016. This was as a result of the Commission receiving additional information and further concerns that related to the care and welfare of people using the service. The concerns related to missed visits, administration of medication and delivery of the care provided. As a result we undertook a focused inspection to look at those concerns. This report only covers our findings in relation to those concerns. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for the location known as ‘Nelson’ on our website at www.cqc.org.uk

Nelson provides care and support for people in the Burnley and Pendle area. The range of services provided includes, personal care, domestic help and shopping. The service provides support for older people, people living with a dementia, adults with physical disabilities as well as learning disabilities. The agency's office is located in the centre of Nelson. The agency was known to people using the service as Heritage Homecare.

The Nelson branch was last inspected 24, 25, 30 November and 9 December 2015. This was as a result of the Commission receiving concerning information relating to the care received by people who used the service, staff leaving and visits being missed. As a result of this inspection a number of breaches of the Health and Social Care Act (Regulations Activities) Regulations 2014 were identified. The service was rated as inadequate and was placed into ‘special measures’.

During this inspection we identified ongoing breaches relating to safe care and treatment of people using the service. We are taking action against the provider and will report on this when it is complete.

As part of this inspection we visited the Nelson office as well as the head office in Lancaster where the call monitoring systems and the directors are based.

We saw evidence of missed visits taking place, the provider was in the process of transferring care packages to alternative care providers with oversight by the Local Authority. The Director of the Company could give us no assurance that people would receive the care visits that they required.

We received confirmation from the provider that staff at the Nelson branch had not been paid at the end of February. This has resulted in staff leaving and the Company’s continuing ability to meet the allocated visits for people using the service at the Nelson branch.

We were told by a Director that there had been a director who had been to the office on a number of occasions. However all staff spoken with told us the directors of the company had not visited the Nelson branch for approximately three weeks.