Home care service criticised over safety concerns

A home care agency for people with learning difficulties did not always treat patients with respect and dignity, the care watchdog has found.

Gain Healthcare Ltd, based in Bicester, has been rated "inadequate" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection earlier this year.

In their report, CQC inspectors raised concerns over the safe care, treatment, safeguarding and governance of the care provider.

The BBC has contacted Gain Healthcare Ltd - which offers care for people with learning disabilities and mental health conditions - for a comment.

At the time of the inspection, the care agency was regularly looking after just one person.

The CQC said its review of the service came after it received reports of concerns about the "safe care and treatment" of patients.

Among the issues uncovered in its ensuing inspection was that the provider did not always ensure that people with a learning disability and autistic people were treated with respect, equality and dignity.

It also found that those people were also not always given choices, independence, and good access to local communities "that most people take for granted".

Overall, the CQC said it found that the provider was in breach of seven legal regulations.

It found that staff "did not have effective training in place" to support the patient and their needs.

Medicines were also being administered by staff "without the appropriate information, guidance or training in place", while the firm's governance was also found to be ineffective.

The report added that relatives of patients "did not feel their concerns were always acted upon" or that staff were "adequately trained or had the relevant guidance and information to support their loved one safely".

Following the inspection, the CQC said it had placed Gain Healthcare Ltd in special measures. The step is intended to "ensure that services providing inadequate care make significant improvements".

It added that the firm had been asked to provide an action plan in response to its breaches of legal regulations.