Community Outreach: Sheffield care agency failed to safely manage medication, inspection finds

An inspection by the Care Quality Commission has found a Sheffield care agency to have breached safe care and treatment.

Community Outreach, which provides personal care mostly to older people at their homes, was found to have placed people at risk of harm as medicines were not safely managed, nor were medicine audits fully effective.

Staff were not trained in all areas required to safely meet clients’ needs, and said they felt that if they raised concerns about training, they would not be listened to.

One staff member told inspectors: "Staff opinions are disregarded and if you did raise anything it would be argued with, and voices would be raised."

There was no registered manager, who should be responsible for overseeing the delivery of the service.

The provider, Community Outreach Ltd, based at 370 Carter Knowle Rd, was "open and honest" in telling the CQC inspectors it was going through a period of change and in the process of reviewing the service.

It said it will take immediate action to provide training and competency assessments.

The inspection noted that people were effectively safeguarded from abuse, systems were in place to ensure prompt action to any concerns, and recruitment processes were safe.

There were also effective infection prevention and control measures in place.

The rating for the service, published in December, remains "requires improvement" overall.

In being safe, effective, well-led and responsive, the service "requires improvement". For being caring, it is rated “good”.