Care failings leaving residents 'at risk of harm'

Elderly and sick residents at a housing scheme with on-site care support are being placed at risk of harm due to a range of failings, a watchdog inspection has found.

The Maples housing complex in Kirkby, Merseyside, was previously rated "good" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), but the latest findings have resulted in a "requires Improvement" assessment after serious concerns were identified in relation to medication and care plan implementation.

One of the main issues was regarding the administration of medications inspectors said were not always stored safely, given as prescribed or in a safe way.

A statement from operator Cera Care said it was continuing a review of the site.

The CQC said systems in place to monitor service quality and safety were not "fully effective or sufficient" to monitor and mitigate health and welfare risks.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said another area identified for improvement was the management of care plans.

Staff were found to lack clear information on the care and support people need to keep them safe and well.

Cera Care said care quality was very important and the inspection had rated the service "good" in the "responsive", "effective" and "caring" categories.

It said it had already identified an issue with some staff schedules at the time of the inspection and the points were "thoroughly addressed, and significant improvements have already been made".

The company added it was "continuing to review this site, and will be conducting regular assessments to ensure it resumes its previous performance standard".

The CQC said the shortcomings breached regulations in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and improvements were needed to ensure care plans were up to date and accurately reflected needs and requirements.

Its inspectors noted Cera Care management teams were committed to improvements they acknowledged were needed and residents praised the "care" and "kindness" demonstrated by well-trained staff.

However, some residents had mixed experiences regarding the timing of calls, the inconsistency and lateness of staff and continual problems with their medications.

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