Sheffield service provider branded '˜indequate' by CQC inspectors

Prelle Healthcare was placed in special measures following an announced week-long inspection by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors in May.

Inspectors found the service was not safe, not consistently effective, not consistently caring, not consistently responsive to users needs and not well-led.

In its report, the CQC warned that if improvements were not made within six months, it would '˜begin the process of preventing the provider from operating the service'.

The report said: 'Safe systems and prcoesses were not always in place to safeguard people from avoidable harm or abuse, including assessing and recording the outcomes of individual risks, the recruitment of staff, the management of medicines and sharing this information as required within other organisations.'

It also said that records did not always include details of the person who had legal authority to make decisions where users lacked capacity and that care plans lacked detail in how staff needed to respond to users' needs.

The care provider breached a number of regualations under the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 in terms of whether the service was safe.

Inspectors said no-one experssed any concerns about care staff attitude or behaviour and said most users and their relatives said staff '˜treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect'.

The report also said staff were familiar with people's individual needs and '˜were able to describe how they maintained people's privacy and dignity'.

The CQC has written to Prelle Healthcare's management asking them what action they are going to take in relation to seven breaches of regulations and will re-visit the service's offices in Ecclesfield within six months.

It also said in the report that the service will '˜continue to be kept under review and, if needed, could be escalated to urgent enforcement action'.

The Star has contacted Prelle Healthcare for a comment.