AN ACOCKS Green homecare provider has failed to take action to improve its services that were rated Inadequate just months ago.
Mach Care Solutions (Birmingham) was rated as Inadequate by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors following a re-inspection of its services in May.
The initial inspection, which brought to light several issues, was in November.
During May’s inspection, which was carried out to check the Warwick Road company’s progress, the care provider was still deemed to be failing its users, having not acted upon concerns and new areas of concern also identified.
The company provides personal care to around 40 people in their homes.
Particular concerns were raised about the service safety and how well it was led.
The report says: “We saw care plans continued to lack information and guidance for staff to follow and some had not been reviewed and updated to reflect people’s current support needs. Risks to people had not been assessed consistently.
“The assessments themselves did not always clearly reflect what action staff should take in the event of that person becoming unwell or experiencing symptoms of known health conditions.
“Some people’s care plans contained conflicting information to guide staff with appropriate support for people with nutritional and hydration needs.”
The report also highlighted that people received inconsistent call times which impacted on the support people needed, placing them at risk of harm.
Sonia Brooks, CQC deputy director of operations in the Midlands, said: “Although some improvement had been made in this area, people continued to receive calls that were either late or too short in duration for their needs to be met. One person who required a 30 minute call received a visit for only four minutes which is unacceptable.
“However, we did see some improved areas of care. People and their relatives told us they were now involved in decision making and helped create their own care plans to meet their needs and wishes. Staff also now sought consent prior to supporting them and encouraged people to make their own decisions in the least restrictive way.
“We will continue to monitor the service closely to ensure significant and urgent improvements are made. If we are not assured people are receiving safe care, we will not hesitate to take further enforcement action to ensure people are receiving the high standard of care they deserve.”
The Observer has contacted Mach Care Solutions (Birmingham) for comment.
