Tower Hamlets domiciliary care agency rated inadequate by inspectors

A care agency providing care to people in their homes in the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Haringey has been placed in to Special Measures after being rated as Inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

During an inspection in April 2016 CQC found that Sevacare – Tower Hamlets had failed to make sufficient improvements since its previous inspection in 2015.  At the time inspectors found that the provider was failing to provide safe care and treatment, adequate person centred care, consent and good governance.

On the latest inspection CQC found that Sevacare had not made adequate improvements in relation to consent, safe care and treatment and good governance.

Inspectors found although measures were in place to ensure that staff had the training they needed, induction and shadowing of new staff was not fully completed. There was insufficient assessment of the competency of new staff to provide care effectively.

Debbie Ivanova, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care for CQC in London, said: “People who use domiciliary care services rely on their carers so that they can get on with their daily lives. If the carers are late, or cancel at late notice, it can have far reaching consequences.

“When providers are paid to care for people in vulnerable circumstances, they must ensure that care is safe, compassionate and high quality.

“Sevacare has made some improvement in the punctuality of home visits, however lateness was still identified as a significant problem by many people and their families.

“We have made it clear to Sevacare that it must improve or they could face further action to ensure that the people who rely on its services get the care to which they are entitled.”