A South Tyneside-based home care firm has been lifted out of special measures - but patients are still deemed to being "at risk of harm".
This comes on the back of a new Care Quality Commission (CQC) report showing that Hales Group Ltd - South Tyneside, has made improvements following a previous "inadequate" report, but that inspectors felt issues around rotas persisted. Because of this, it was given a "requires improvement" rating across each of the "well-led", "safe" and "effective" metrics used to grade services.
However, the managing director of Hales Limited - a national group of care firms - highlighted that the CQC had recognised the improvements made so far, and that the issues remaining stemmed from the ongoing social care staffing crisis seen across the UK.
Read more: Disabled man with blue badge slams 'stress and worry' caused by Gateshead hospital parking ticket
Overall, inspectors said: "At our last inspection the provider had failed to robustly manage the risks relating to the health safety and welfare of people, including managing people's medicines safely. At this inspection improvements had been made and the service was no longer in breach of the regulation safe care and treatment as systems were becoming more robust to minimise the risk of harm to people. Improvements had been made to medicines management.
"Systems were in place to manage medicines safely where support was required. There were some improvements since the last inspection to ensure people received safe care. People told us they felt safe and the service took appropriate action to help ensure people were protected.
"Although people said they felt safe there was a risk of harm as rotas were not well-managed. People were at risk of harm as there was impact to people's safety and well-being where calls were very late. People and relatives gave examples of how this impacted on personal care, nutritional needs and medicines."
The inspection took place in June and July this year - and followed a previous inspection in August 2021. Hales Ltd - South Tyneside is based on the Monckton Industrial Estate. The inspectors did write in the report that systems had improved in many areas and that service-users and their families felt safe.
In the report they added: "Systems had been improved to ensure people received safe care but rota management did not promote person-centred care.
"People were cared for safely. Several improvements had been made to ensure people were protected. People and relatives told us people were safe and trusted staff. One person told us, 'Yes, I trust the staff, they know their job. I feel safe when they hoist me" and "I feel safe, the girls are more like friends to me.'"
Nicola Mewse, managing director of Hales Ltd, told ChronicleLive: "Social care is struggling to recruit across the country. The inspectors have recognised that improvements have been made and that service users recognise this.
"The reality is we don't live in an environment to meet everyone's preferences but we do have to meet their needs. The inspectors recognise that the leadership has addressed the feedback from the first report."
Ms Mewse said it was important to note that the firm had taken over the contract in South Tyneside during the height of the pandemic - when the area was among the hardest hit in the country by Covid. She said that not only were other industries - such as retail or hospitality - difficult to compete with, but that home care firms had a difficult job competing to hire colleagues who'd otherwise work in care homes.
"The thing about community care is - compared to care homes - is that the barriers to working are much greater," she said. "You need a car. You have to be mobile. We have seen the cost of living and of running that car rise rapidly. As a care provider we are funding fuel and travel time, but there are so many extra costs associated with running that vehicle.
"As a responsible provider we are trying to bridge all of the gaps and make it as comparable as possible to more shift based work. It's incredibly difficult to balance the books even in an environment in South Tyneside where the local authority actually pays above average. That's still not always enough."
READ NEXT:
- Newcastle GP hits out at health service pay and warns brain drain could see 'two-tier NHS'
- NHS trust could face £8.5m deficit this year - as vacancy rates and staff sickness see big spend on agency workers
- Ambulance service bosses warn patients 'coming to harm' over increasing hospital delays
- 41 percent of kids in key worker families in North East living in poverty
- After losing 10 stone in a year, Whitley Bay lass Lucy now wants to help others transform their lives at her very own gym
