Care provider in special measures over safety risk

A service which provides private care to people in their own homes in North East Lincolnshire has been placed into special measures.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated Unicorn Healthcare Services as inadequate and said it would be kept under close review to ensure its users were safe.

Among the issues found by inspectors were medicines not being administered safely and staff not having qualifications, skills or experience to carry out their roles.

Unicorn Healthcare Services, which is based in Cleethorpes, has been contacted for comment.

The inspection in October and November was made after the watchdog received concerns about the service from users and their families.

Some of the concerns included people having to tell their carers what to do, staff not turning up and correct actions not always being taken when incidents occurred.

Inspectors also found staff not wearing the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) at times, which "placed people at risk of infection".

The CQC said it had also issued a warning notice for company bosses to make "significant improvements around how they were managing the service".

Alan Stephenson, CQC deputy director of operations in the north, said: "When we inspected Unicorn Healthcare Services, poor leadership had led to people being placed at risk of unsafe care.

"This service looks after people who rely on staff for their basic care needs and leaders must make the necessary improvements as a matter of urgency."

He said the watchdog would "use our regulatory powers further if people aren't receiving the care they have a right to expect".

However, Mr Stephenson noted staff treated people with "respect and kindness" during visits.

The full inspection report will be published in the coming days.

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