Inspectors place home care firm in special measures for Covid safety breaches

A home care firm has been placed into special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for breaching Covid safety rules.

Home care firm Forever Homecare, based in Slough, had not updated its infection control policy in response to Covid-19 rules according to CQC inspectors and its policy did not refer to the use of face masks or any eye protection.

'Sometimes they don't wear masks'

At the time of the inspection last January, the home care service cared for 47 people in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

One person told inspectors: "Sometimes they don't wear masks."

Inspectors reported that not all staff had their competency assessed when it came to putting on and taking off PPE and the home care provider did not test staff regularly for Covid infection. The CQC also said inspectors did not receive evidence regarding the legitimacy of the test kits in use.

With some staff at increased risk of Covid due to factors such as underlying health conditions or ethnicity, the CQC stated some staff risk assessments were incomplete, 'and it was unclear how the information had been used to mitigate the risks for staff at greater risk'.

Failure to follow infection control measures in response to the pandemic is in breach of Regulation 12 (Safe care and treatment) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

CQC’s head of inspection for adult social care, Rebecca Bauers, said: “Our inspectors found that Forever Homecare was not providing people with safe care and treatment.

"They were not safeguarded from abuse or risks, including infection control risks in relation to COVID-19. Safe medicine practices were not followed, and accidents and incidents were not effectively managed. There was also no evidence of learning following an incident, to prevent reoccurrence.

“We have issued the provider with a warning notice and placed the service in special measures, which means we will keep it under review and re-inspect within six months to check for improvements. We have requested an action plan from the provider outlining what they will do to improve standards of quality and safety".

The home care service was previously rated 'Good' overall when it was last inspected in August 2017.

Ms Bauers added: “We are currently considering what further action we may want to take if the provider has not made sufficient improvements when we return.”

Front door 'left open'

As well as coronavirus infection control breaches, inspectors were told examples of poor care, 'such as items being left out of reach or their front door being left open’.

The CQC also identified failures in recruitment practices and good governance.

The home care service got a visit from inspectors after the CQC received complaints concerning the safe management of medicines and management arrangements as the service, which did not have a registered manager in place.

The CQC said the provider had not undertaken effective supervision of the service manager. At the time of the inspection, the service manager was in the process of handover with a recently appointed care manager.

Inspectors visited the home care provider’s office on 25 January and spoke with staff and viewed records. Staff and people using the service were telephoned and emailed between 27-28 and a virtual meeting took place with the care provider on 29 January 2021.

Inspectors spoke to two people using the service, 14 family members and nine members of staff.

The home care provider has been approached for comment.