Luton care agency branded ‘inadequate’ waiting for second visit from CQC

A CARE provider which has been stopped from accepting new clients ‘failed to take all reasonable steps to protect people from risk of harm’, a health watchdog has said.

Healthcare Nationwide Ltd, based in Sundon Park Road, Luton, was branded ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after concerns raised by Bedford Borough Council led to an inspection on May 19 and 20 this year.

Clients who used the agency, for services such as palliative care and for those with dementia, said they felt ‘safe’ but the CQC found there were no systems in place to highlight or prevent poor treatment or abuse.

The right to work in the UK of the staff had not been properly checked and one person had multiple jobs but was restricted to working 20 hours per week.

Information on service charges and funding arrangements was also not provided and the CQC said this caused clients and their relatives to feel ‘anxiety’.

Ali Phiri, a manager at the agency, said the council had since revisited the agency and was now ‘happy’ with its procedures. #

He also said its clients still wanted to use the service.

He said: “We have done everything required by the local authority but now we are waiting for the CQC to come back to us.”