Allied Healthcare London East rated Inadequate by CQC

The Care Quality Commission is taking action to protect the safety and welfare of people using a domiciliary care service in north east London which has been rated as Inadequate, following an inspection in May.

CQC inspectors found Allied Healthcare London East in Newham was Inadequate for being Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well-led. It Requires Improvement for Caring. To read the full report and ratings for all key services click on this link www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-1931929562

At a previous inspection in September 2015, the service was also rated Inadequate. It was issued with three warning notices regarding person centred care, safe care and treatment and good governance.

The service provides personal care to people in their own homes. At the time of the inspection they were working with 178 people. Allied Healthcare London East is run by Nestor Homecare Services Limited.

• Inspectors found care plans and risk assessments lacked details and did not contain the information required to provide safe care that met people's needs.
• Medicines were not managed in a safe way and staff did not have the information they needed to support people with their medicines.
• Assessments of people's needs and associated care plans had been poorly completed. People who used the service and staff said care plans were out of date and did not contain the information needed to provide good care.
• Records did not clearly record people's involvement in decisions relating to their care. Consent was not always clearly recorded in line with legislation and guidance. Care plans contained limited details about people's preferences.
• People were not asked about their sexuality and so were not given the opportunity to discuss if this affected their care preferences. CQC has made a recommendation about supporting people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

Debbie Ivanova, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, said:

“People who use domiciliary care services rely on their carers to support them with their daily lives. They are entitled to services which provide safe, effective, compassionate and high quality care.

“It is a matter of concern that the provider, Nestor Homecare Services Limited, has failed to make the improvements we required at our inspection last year and has continued to let down the people in its care. This must not continue.

“We are now taking further action in relation to this provider and will report on this when the legal process is complete. In the meantime we will continue to work with Newham council to ensure that people are safe and get the services they need.”

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

Ends

For media enquiries, contact Ray Cooling, Regional Engagement Manager (London), on 020 7448 9136 or call the press office on 020 7448 9401 during office hours. Journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team here. (Please note: the duty press officer is unable to advise members of the public on health or social care matters).

For general enquiries, please call 03000 61 61 61.