Leeds healthcare service told to improve as CQC identifies 'increased risk that people could be harmed'

Pro Healthcare Services, located on Burley Hill Trading Estate, is a healthcare, social care and assisted living registered provider and staffing agency. The CQC inspected on February 28, carrying out an assessment of whether the service was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

The service was rated ‘requires improvement’ in the safe and well-led categories and ‘good’ in the other areas, securing an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’. Seven people were being supported by the service at the time of inspection.

The rating received in the safety assessment meant some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety, as well as an “increased risk that people could be harmed”.

Although people were found to be safe, the CQC found the service did not monitor call times and that there was no oversight on late or missed calls. The registered manager could not confirm if the length of call times were delivered as planned. Staff and people's relatives did, however, claim staffing levels were sufficient. The CQC found staff were recruited safely and that the provider managed risks to people's safety and wellbeing.

Issues were also found in the assessment of whether the service was well-led. The CQC found there was not a service improvement plan in place and that although there was no evidence of people being harmed, systems were either not in place or robust enough to demonstrate good governance.

The CQC said this placed people at risk of harm and was a breach of regulation 17 (Good governance) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

The CQC did, however, say the management and staff structure “provided clear lines of accountability and responsibility” and that staff “understood their roles and responsibilities and when to escalate any concerns”.

There was praise for the service in the assessment of whether it was effective, caring and responsive. Staff were found to be knowledgeable about people's specific needs and preferences and could explain how they supported people in line with this information. Care plans showed detailed information on how to care for people and their preferences.

The service was also rated 'good’ in the caring section and one service user told the CQC: "The care we had was brilliant, I had been looking after [person] on my own for a long time and was very tired. The carers were superb, they would come in in the morning and shout hello, I had told them they could walk straight in, they would always make a point of asking me how I was; I felt that they checked on me too."

The CQC has asked the service to provide a report stating what action will be taken to ensure the requirements of regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations are met.

This inspection did not involve a physical visit to the location, and was instead carried out with technology such as electronic file sharing as well as video and phone calls.

Pro Healthcare Services declined to comment.