Highland home care service faces flak

Chief executive Elaine Mead said an action plan has been drawn up to ensure the service “will be fit for the future.”

The commitment follows a Care Inspectorate report which described the quality of management and leadership as weak – the same rating as given to its staffing and care and support.

The assessment was made following an unannounced inspection carried out over 13 days over a five-week period starting from 21 January. The team visited several offices in the Highlands, spoke to service users, care-at-home workers and relatives.

“Overall during this inspection we had some serious concerns with regard to the on-going care and support offered to the service users and their relatives,” the report concluded.

“These were in relation to areas such as care planning, reviews, medication and staffing. We found that existing staff out in the community worked very hard and were very committed toward providing a quality service, but found that they were stretched to their limits.”

The report added: “Lots of service users and their relatives that we spoke with were also of this opinion.

“As part of this inspection, the service will need to submit an action plan which should detail how they are going to address the requirements and recommendations that have been made.

“Due to the concerns of the Care Inspectorate, an interim inspection will be carried out within the new inspection year 2013/14.”

The report found staff were very enthusiastic about training and developing their knowledge and skill. They were very committed to their jobs and worked hard to try and ensure the quality of the care they delivered was of a high standard, it was stated.

But it also said NHS Highland has to ensure care plans reflected the individual needs of service users. Regular reviews need to be held and appropriate risk assessments need to be in place and reviewed on a regular basis

There were differing views among the users.

“As far as I am concerned I cannot think of any way the service could be improved. I am so grateful for it and cannot speak too highly of all the carers I have had. They are wonderful people,” said one.

“I don’t call them carers – I call them angels,” stated another.

But some were less than happy. “The service is essential for me to be able to stay at home, but of late care standards are slipping,” complained one.

“Timing of care is not at all good. There is no continuity of care; the care I receive is rushed,” said another.

All registered care services for adults, previously run by Highland Council, were transferred to NHS Highland in March 2012 as part of the integration of health and social care.

Ms Mead acknowledged the quality of care and support, staffing and management and leadership were graded at level two which is defined as weak.

“The report makes a number of recommendations and requirements which we fully accept. We have already submitted a detailed action plan to the Care Inspectorate which sets out a comprehensive programme of work to ensure that the issues identified are urgently addressed.”

She added: “The report outlined concerns around the availability of assessment and management plans and the timely review of these plans.

“I am personally overseeing work to ensure that all care plans are now reviewed, with good progress already being made,” she commented.

Ms Mead praised the commitment, compassion and effort of staff but apologised to anyone who is not happy with the service they have received.

“We will continue to work closely with staff, their union representatives and the Care Inspectorate to be sure that we can now develop a service which will be fit for the future,” she added.