Council-run North Yorkshire home care service must improve, health inspectors say

A council-run service that provides care to people in their own homes across North Yorkshire has been ordered to improve.
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Care records, plans and risk assessments for people using the Harrogate and Craven Branch of domiciliary service - run by North Yorkshire County Council - were not carried out, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found.

The service provides rehabilitation care, after they are discharged from hospital, to up to 70 people living with dementia or disabilities in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough and the Yorkshire Dales. It also provides personal care to people through two extra care assisted living schemes at facilities in Knaresborough and Ripon.

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CQC inspectors found that records and internal audits were not properly completed.

In a newly-published report, the CQC said assessments, care plans and risk assessments were “not completed consistently to ensure staff had the correct information to keep people safe.”

It added: “Internal management audits had not picked up this issue. The provider had not undertaken audits to ensure people’s safety and wellbeing was promoted and that they were receiving quality care.

We have spoken to the provider about this and they have agreed to review their policy and processes.”

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The service was rated as “Requires Improvement” in the safe and well-led categories of the inspection. But the CQC judged it to be “Good” - the quality standard - for being effective, caring and responsive.

The report added: “We observed positive and caring relationships between people and staff.”

In a statement issued yesterday, North Yorkshire County Council said: "The County Council welcomes the CQC’s report and is pleased that the CQC recognised as Good the effectiveness of the service, its responsiveness to people’s needs and concerns and the quality of care – particularly the kindness and care of staff and that people are treated with dignity and respect and are involved in the planning and review of their care.

"In addition, the report finds that medicines are safely administered, people protected from abuse or neglect by trained, knowledgeable staff and people feel confident in the management of the service.

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"We can confirm that we have addressed the issues raised by the CQC regarding paperwork. People receiving a reablement home care service from the branch were being assessed and had support plans, but we have now amended this process to meet the CQC’s requirements."